


Midnight Spell

by Calyxir



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: 99 percent beomjun banter, Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst if u squint, Beomgyu is a bird, Cinderella Elements, Crack Treated Seriously, Crossdressing, Dreams, Fantasy, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Love, M/M, Magic, Mutual Pining, Pranks, Royalty, Talking Animals, Transformation, Whipped Choi Soobin, beomgyu loves to annoy tyun funfun, doesnt rlly follow the plot tho, i swear i was laughing the whole time while writing this someone help me, kai is a fairygodmother but please dont call him that, light homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:01:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28026690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calyxir/pseuds/Calyxir
Summary: Beomgyu's had enough of Yeonjun acting like a damsel in distress. It might take a lot of effort and a sprinkle of magic, maybe a little bit of pain, but he will get these two, gay, pining idiots together somehow.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun
Comments: 13
Kudos: 99





	1. A Dream Is A Wish

_Once upon a time... in a faraway land, there was a tiny kingdom... peaceful, prosperous, and rich in romance and tradition… here, in a stately chateau—_

The window flew open and in came a bird, a parrot to be exact. _Ugh, always bad timing._ The parrot perched itself upon the windowsill, cocking its head towards the right, to a wooden bed where a boy named Yeonjun is sleeping. Well, _was_ sleeping.

Yeonjun turned facing the wall, slightly pissed at the bird barging in and disrupting his sleep, his dream. He wrapped the sheets tighter around his form, bed creaking, cursing the morning breeze for being so cold, as his hand irritably took the his pillow and used it to cover his entire face.

… any time now.

“Yeonjun Choi, wakey-wakey!” The parrot chirped, Yeonjun could imagine the bird flapping its wings, imitating a child clapping. Imagine, that’s all he’s been doing nowadays. Having dreams and envisioning a world where he _wasn’t_ in the Kang’s household and doing chores for them.

Why did his father have to die and leave him to a cranky old stepmother and her son? Yeonjun used to train as a knight for the Kingdom of Cerulae, until his stepmother confined him to a life of boredom and being their helper and, _whatever this was._

Yeonjun tossed and turned in his bed, annoyed. His dream has only started, and this bird has already ruined it by waking him up.

“Beomgyu, could you be _even earlier?_ ” Yeonjun grumbled, muffled by the pillow still above his head.

“Is that sarcasm I hear? Could you be _even crankier?_ ” The bird, Beomgyu, flew closer to Yeonjun, this time landing on the blanket itself, curling his claws around the cloth… and he pulled, wings flapping with the highest intensity, causing Yeonjun to roll completely out of the bed, falling to the also wooden floor with a thump.

Good thing the bed was only a few inches from the floor, any higher up, he would’ve ended up bruised. He threw the pillow he held towards Beomgyu, who all but jumped, dodging it.

“I am _so_ going to poison you one day, Beom,” Yeonjun muttered, half-chuckling at his own words as he pushed himself to stand. He was still in his sleepwear, a simple white wool top and itchy brown pants.

“You can’t, _won’t_. I’m your best friend, You’d be _oh so lonely,_ without me.” The bird’s eyes twitched with mischief.

“I hate how that is true.” The boy sighed, walking towards the door to exit the room.

“Is it still locked?” Beomgyu asked, flying towards Yeonjun and standing on the boy’s broad shoulder.

Yeonjun let go of the knob. “Apparently. Sadly.”

“Is the bitch mistress still asleep?” Beomgyu sneered with venom in his chirpy voice.

“Doesn’t matter, Beom,” Yeonjun said, waking to the other side of his room (the attic), to a mirror. The boy tsked, his hand grazing over the small cut on his cheek that he got from gathering the pieces of a shattered plate, “The key is with Taehyun. And after that stunt we pulled yesterday, I doubt he’d be willing to let me out any time soon.”

Truthfully, Beomgyu pitied Yeonjun. Beomgyu has been with Yeonjun since the boy was eight, around two years before his father passed away. And in the years that followed, Yeonjun’s life has only been getting worse.

Beomgyu averted his attention from Yeonjun, who was silently sulking at his scarred face.

 _“Beom… how… how does it feel like to be free?”_ Yeonjun had asked him before, and Beomgyu’s little heart _broke._ Yeonjun has come to the point where he _wanted to be a bird_ just to escape from the Kangs.

“Does it hurt?” Beomgyu asked, Yeonjun could tell he was already thinking of where he could be able to steal medicines or herbs to cure Yeonjun’s deep wound and prevent it from getting infected.

“Which one? The physical wound or the psychological one?”

Beomgyu shook his head. “The one on your cheek, drama queen.”

“This would heal in a few days, I’m sure. Don’t bother stealing from Mr. Jung’s pharmacy, he might set bird traps all over the place again. I wouldn’t want to lose you a second time.”

“Hey, it’s a good thing I died though. If not, I still wouldn’t be able to speak.”

Beomgyu was still a young parrot back then, not able to form coherent words, but he and Yeonjun has always had a bond. The boy had a blurry memory of the silent Beomgyu. The first time Beomgyu had died was because he attempted to fly with a fractured wing. Yeonjun was bored at the time, since his knight training wasn’t until later that day. So, with one look, Yeonjun told Beomgyu to fly, and race him to the nearest pond.

However, Beomgyu’s left wing has barely recovered from colliding with a full-on wall. He was not in top shape, but Beomgyu thought it would be okay—as long as they got rid of Yeonjun’s boredom. It went fine… until Beomgyu neared the pond… and with his victory, he looked back at Yeonjun.

Yeonjun stared back at him with alert and panicked eyes and then, Beomgyu’s body collided with an extended tree branch, adding extra pain to his already knocked-up wing and sending him down and into the pond. He drowned.

And, Yeonjun drowned in his own misery… until a mysterious boy named Kai showed up next to him, and handed him a new and improved Beomgyu. As if nothing has happened, as if Yeonjun hadn’t just witnessed his winged friend splash into the water. All was well… until Beomgyu started _talking._

Beomgyu started to chat him up, call him names, joke around, call Yeonjun an idiot—and Yeonjun was _freaked._ Whatever the mysterious boy named Kai has done… he didn’t know. He just didn’t question it… especially since he was the only one who could hear Beomgyu. Maybe Yeonjun lost his hinges early in life. Or maybe it was some sort of magic… nah.

“Who are you talking to in there, Yeonjun?” Taehyun asked from outside. Yeonjun nearly salivated at the sound of the keys jittering and unlocking the door—until he remembered the mistress ordered him to get rid of the bird.

“Uh, no one… just--” Yeonjun took Beomgyu in his hand, eliciting a, “ _Hey hands off my beautiful feathers!_ ” from the bird, as Yeonjun unceremoniously threw him out the window and closed the wooden panes.

“Just talking to myself.”

Yeonjun heard the bird curse at him from the other side of his closed window, just in time for Taehyun to open the door.

“Here, for your scar. Figured we should get it cured now, rather than be burdened by the effects of leaving it unsanitized,” Taehyun threw a small box towards Yeonjun, who caught it by reflex.

“Sorry for, uhm… yesterday.” Yeonjun didn’t know why he had the urge to apologize to this _brat of a son,_ but it came out, there was nothing he could do to take it back. Taehyun ignored the apology, seemingly flaunting his ruffled silk attire to Yeonjun as he went inside the elder’s room. And oh god did Yeonjun miss dressing up that way. Now, all he was left with were cheap, sack-like excuses for clothes.

Yeonjun swallows his deteriorating pride and covers his apology with a snarky statement, “You have the key to my room, but you have no right whatsoever to be _in_ it.”

“My house, my rules--”

“ _My room._ ” Yeonjun restrained himself from kicking Taehyun out, it might result to yet another unpleasant scolding from his stepmother, so he resorted to sarcastic remarks. Yeonjun glared at Taehyun as he ransacked through his things. Specifically, under Yeonjun’s bed, under his covers, inside the elder’s cabinet until, “Where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Yeonjun sighed, pulling out a stool and sitting on it.

“Your animal.”

“An _animal_ is currently raiding my room and searching for my best friend, who you forced me to get rid of.” Yeonjun laughed internally at his own play of words, half expecting Taehyun to come at him with a fist. Taehyun scoffed, probably at Yeonjun referring to the parrot as his best friend.

Taehyun, again, crouched down under Yeonjun’s mirror and held up a light green feather to Yeonjun’s face. “If you got rid of that awfully rude bird, then who does this,” Taehyun covered his mouth no sneeze, “feather belong to?”

Yeonjun sighed in defeat.

“Like I said Taehyun, Beomgyu is my best friend, he’s attached to me. Even if I tried to leave him somewhere alone in the woods, he’d find his way back to me.”

“ _Even creatures like you,_ ” Taehyun mumbled under his breath, and Yeonjun’s chest filled with pride at what Taehyun said… although he knew his charms were why Taehyun resented him.

“Don’t let that pet of yours anywhere near me. Or else, putting you on lockdown wouldn’t be the only thing mother would do.” Taehyun left the keys on Yeonjun’s bed and walked away, leaving Yeonjun to tend to his wound.

Yeonjun heard Beomgyu tap his beak on the shut windows as the bird screeched, “ _I’m not done with you Taehyun-ah! Let me in Yeonjun I must peck his eyes out!_ ”

. . .

The next day, Beomgyu was shocked to see Yeonjun sulking, looking out the window of the attic like some damsel in distress.

“What’s up with you?” the bird asked, hovering at the same level as Yeonjun’s face.

“The bitch mistress accused me of stealing _and_ selling her pearl earrings,” Yeonjun huffed, looking past the green bird and downwards, where the village’s busy streets were seen. Vendors, merchants, some wooden carts, horses, and children loitered around. There were times Yeonjun considered jumping out his window when he’s locked in, but Beomgyu somehow manages to convince him he wouldn’t survive the fall.

“Hm, no,” Beomgyu stubbornly shook his head, “No, you have _the face._ ”

“What are you on about? My face is like this because… it’s my face?”

“You have _the look,_ on _the face,_ ” his friend emphasized, clearly, even he had no idea if he made any sense, he hoped Yeonjun would just shut up and explain why he had _the face._

“Do you _want_ me to say it?”

The bird pecked Yeonjun’s forehead and it felt like someone has just flicked a finger on him, _“Ow--”_

“You have _the Soobin face,_ Yeonjun. There I said it. You have the I-miss-Prince-Soobin face.”

Instead of flipping the bird off like he usually would, he heaved a sigh.

“How do I stop missing him? He’s probably already forgotten about me. I can’t necessarily just visit him in the palace—guards would block me out and give me a restraining order—which is worse,” Yeonjun’s face contorted, “And… the mistress wouldn’t let me.”

“How long has it been?” the bird asked, feeling the wind through his feathers.

“Long enough. And the prince isn’t one to come out of the palace,” Yeonjun’s eyes flicked down, feeling himself spiral deeper into his romantic hopelessness, “He seems to be content in there, Beom. I’m sure he’s gotten over his so-called phase. Besides,” his eyes flicked back up to the bird, “He’s the prince… and I’m just…”

“Yeonjun the captive princess who needs his prince Soobin to slay the dragon aka the bitch mistress?” Beomgyu supplied for him. And _Of course,_ Beomgyu would joke about it. 

Yeonjun glares at Beomgyu, swatting at him with his hands, “Who said I was the princess?!”

“Oh, so you’re the dragon? Yeah, Taehyun-ah needs to be saved from you.” Yeonjun restrained himself from throwing hands again. Beomgyu’s eyes sparkled with mischief, with the intention of further teasing, but Yeonjun wasn’t in a mood for play.

Yeonjun slumped over the windowsill again, staring into the village where he saw the faint outline of Prince Soobin’s palace not so far away. Beomgyu settled beside Yeonjun, where the boy’s chin rested on the palm of his hand.

Yeonjun hoped Beomgyu didn’t see the teardrop that fell from his eye, hoped Beomgyu doesn’t look at him—being all miserable and wanting a person who was so out of reach. Wanting the Prince, the _heir,_ of all people.

_I miss you, Soobin._

. . .

_“You want me to help train the prince?” a young Yeonjun quirked an eyebrow at the prince’s advisor, Namjoon. At the time, Yeonjun was only about sixteen, and has begun training as a knight for Cerulae back when he was thirteen. In his own eyes, he was still inexperienced; he still had a lot to learn himself so why did the prince’s advisor call for him?_

_“Yeonjun,” Namjoon leaned further back into his chair, thinking of his reply, “You have poten--”_

_“But I’m… I’m just a knight in training—“ Yeonjun cut himself off, he knew better than to butt in the prince’s advisor’s words mid-sentence, “Sorry.”_

_Namjoon sighed, “The prince wouldn’t listen to us, Yeonjun. And as you know… he is the next heir to the throne, he needs to know how to ride a horse, how to wield a sword, he needs to have a sense of responsibility.”_

_“How old is the prince exactly?” Yeonjun asked. As far as he knew, the prince was just about his age. Being a prince, Yeonjun thought he could just take a pass on all the hard training. But apparently, being the prince only put even more pressure on him._

_“Fifteen. You are about the same age, which is why I chose you. If he has any questions, he’d be more comfortable with asking you.”_

_Yeonjun’s eyes diverted to Namjoon’s paperweight, a carved figure of a horse, making out the small engraving of the Cerulae crest._

_“Yeonjun?” the boy’s attention snapped back to the advisor._

_“Okay… okay, I’ll help the prince. Does father know about this already?” Yeonjun asked out of curiosity. Earlier that day, a royal guard showed up at his doorstep while his father was out doing errands. Beomgyu tried to follow them, but Yeonjun gave Beomgyu a look that said ‘stay’. The last thing the boy needed was a bird who could potentially break something in the royal palace._

_“He does. I have talked to your father first, sometime yesterday. I figured it would be proper to tell him, especially since you are going to be spending most of the hours of your day here, with the prince.”_

_. . ._

_Somehow, Yeonjun found himself agreeing. It wasn’t common that an opportunity like this would come across._

_“You’re meeting the prince, Yeonjun, oh my god, we’re meeting the royal highness!” Beomgyu said while the he and the young Yeonjun climbed the small, white, open carriage pulled by the kingdom’s horses._

_Yeonjun couldn’t reply, since that would be weird, it wasn’t like the charioteers could hear the bird’s voice._

_“What do you think his highness looks like?” Beomgyu went on the plush seat covering the chariot offered. Yeonjun looked down at Beomgyu, a gesture of please shut up, to no avail, since the bird seemed more excited than him._

_“Do you think they would let me near the prince?” Beomgyu chirped._

_Yeonjun replied, the usual snark present in his voice, “With your loquaciousness I doubt I would let you near the both of us. You’d be distracting me.”_

_The charioteer must’ve heard him, but Yeonjun could care less. The bird continued to ask rhetorical questions that ranged from, “Do you think the prince likes birds?” to “What if the prince falls in love with you?”_

_Yeonjun couldn’t help a smile from making its way to his lips at what Beomgyu had just said. He dismissed the thought as easy as it came, convincing himself that it’d never happen, Beomgyu was only adding to his delusions._

_Little did he know, he would grow to be an adult and still miss the prince._

_The horse’s gallops came to a stop, and Yeonjun looked up to see the Palace of Cerulae. Yeonjun would come to associate the palace with the color blue, because everywhere he looked there was blue. From the intricate fountain’s blue water, to the blue coats worn by the knights._

_Yeonjun greeted Namjoon, who met him halfway, “Good morning, Yeonjun. Here,” Namjoon handed him a piece of parchment, “It’s the prince’s schedule.”_

_Before Yeonjun could ask further, Namjoon beat him to it, “Right now, he’s loitering around,” the advisor sighed, “Avoiding me, and his nanny… for his own obvious reasons. As you should know, he isn’t that eager to be the heir… he’s stalling for as long as he could,” the advisor shook his head, “but I’m sure he’d come around. Help him, Yeonjun. You’re kind of our last resort.”_

_. . ._

_“The schedules say the prince should be in the library,” Beomgyu chirped from where he was perched on Yeonjun’s shoulder. It was something Yeonjun still had to get used to, the bird’s ability to read. Heck, the bird could even write, using his claws to carve letters onto wood to mess with Taehyun, who thought that the scraping sounds came from a supernatural being._

_Where were they going again? Right, the library. Some servants gave him weird looks, because why was a kid with a parrot like him walking around there?_

_Eventually, Yeonjun found one of the doors that led to the said room._

_“Noona… you and Namjoon hired a what?” Came a voice from inside._

_“Soobin, it would be easier this way. Your father and this whole kingdom is counting on you.”_

_That was Soobin’s voice? It sounded… nice._

_Soobin scoffed, “And… that’s why you’re relying on this so-called Yeonjun Choi to mentor me? Arin-noona, I thought I already said that my mind is set. I do not want to be king!”_

_“Yeonjun is the cream of the crop, he would be a big help to you--”_

_“Face it, noona. Help? They just want to brainwash me into ruling the villages. It sounds so tiring.”_

_“You’re only saying that because you’re young, Soobin.” Yeonjun felt himself drawn to the conversation between the prince and his sister._

_“Exactly!” Soobin’s voice went higher an octave, “You are aware that I’m young, I’m too young for this, I am not even fit to be a prince--”_

_“Boys younger than you begin their training as soon as they reach a two-digit age. Fine, you don’t want to be a king. But you are missing out on a lot, Soobin. You don’t even know how to hold a sword correctly. Your table manners are a mess, you still don’t know the difference between a butter and a dinner knife!”_

_Yeonjun let out a loud laugh at that, causing the two arguing siblings to quiet down. Shit, they heard me. Tapping of heels echoed, and Yeonjun considered running, or pretending as if he wasn’t there, but before he could move, the door was further opened and he was face-to-face with, Yeonjun figured, the princess._

_The boy bowed, almost knocking Beomgyu off his shoulder, “Your highness.”_

_“Yeonjun,” The princess fully stepped out of the library and pushed the door closed until it locked into place, “How long have you been here? How much of that did you hear?”_

_“Uhh,” a lot. I think I heard everything, “None of it, Your Highness… I was just about to enter since,” Yeonjun fumbled to unfold the parchment in his grasp, “This says the prince would be here.”_

_Arin nodded in understanding, adjusting the sleeves on her pink-toned dress. “Yeonjun…” she started, “My brother is not… a typical prince. In fact, he doesn’t like being one.”_

_“You can help him, right? Get his mind straight? He’s going through a phase.”_

_. . ._

_“Get his mind straight, Yeonjun. Hear that? Straight.” Arin told Yeonjun to stay outside while she discusses some final things with her brother, so Yeonjun was left to listen to the bird’s teasing._

_“You can’t even get yourself straight, you are so gonna mess that up.”_

_The boy kept his voice low as he answered back, “Beom, shut it, we both know that’s not what she meant. I have to get his head conditioned to be a prince, ‘is all.”_

_“Get him to like being a prince, and get him to love you--”_

_Beomgyu’s boisterous joking was cut by Arin exiting from the library. That was Yeonjun’s cue. The boy pushed the door open, and he was greeted by one of the largest piles of books and paper he has ever seen._

_The first thing that hit him was the scent—it smelled of fresh mints with a hint of vintage. The sun shone brightly through a huge window pane, a window that overlooked the castle’s front: the fountain enclosed by a green, complicated labyrinth._

_There were a few tables, some had a deck of cards still scattered, from a previous game of solitaire, he guessed. The library was empty, save for a figure who was on a seat right beside the huge window, his hands listlessly toying with the white chess pieces that lay on the table in front of him._

_“Is that… Prince Soobin?” the parrot quipped, quite speechless, and honestly? Yeonjun was as astonished as him. “He’s… so… perfect?” The bird continued to muse._

_“I know, right,” Yeonjun said in a hushed voice, but the sound was enough to catch the prince’s attention. Yeonjun felt himself bow automatically, out of respect, but he was mostly… gay panicking. He could tell his bird was, too._

_“Your Highness, I’m sorry for disturbing whatever it is you’re doing but--”_

_The prince ignored his rushed apologies._

_“It is all right. Get up, please,” Yeonjun felt two hands grip his shoulders and force him to stand._

_“Your Highness,” Yeonjun had to concentrate real hard to avoid stuttering._

_“Stop with the formalities, I despise being reminded every minute that I am of royal blood,” The prince said, shaking his head._

_Yeonjun studied the prince’s stature. He was quite tall for his age, and the way he talked was much more mature than he’d expected. But then, Soobin has never had any interaction outside the royal walls, while Yeonjun has been exposed to all kinds of slang, sarcasm, and jokes. Blame the parrot._

_“So… you like chess?” Yeonjun asked in an attempt to break the ice between them. He was drawing this out as long as he could without introducing himself because from what he learned from his eavesdropping session, Soobin didn’t like the sound of Namjoon hiring a Yeonjun Choi._

_Soobin’s eyebrows creased, and then morphed into an expression of realization. “Oh. Yes, yes I like playing it. I love seeing people’s faces when I corner their king in just four to eight moves,” Soobin moved back, attention back at his chessboard, “I like saying checkmate.”_

_“Is that the only princely thing you know?”_

_Beomgyu pecked the back of Yeonjun’s head. “I swear, if you offend the prince, I won’t attend your execution, idiot.”_

_But, Soobin merely laughed it off, “Cute parrot. Good thing Sean hasn’t attacked him yet. Sean is my dog… I failed to mention.”_

_“Dog?!” Beomgyu shrieked, panicked eyes darting here and there as he flew to the highest bookshelf._

_“Yeah, Beomgyu doesn’t like dogs.”_

_“Sean is the only pet in here, the duke once brought a Siamese with him and Sean chased the cat away. He also nearly killed my cousin’s hamster,” Soobin chuckled, “But Sean’s a good boy. He always looks out for me, I think I love him more than my own family. At least Sean doesn’t call me prince.”_

_Soobin loves his dog more than his own family…, that says a lot about him and how insensitive the royal family was._

_“But… don’t you think they’re just… concerned about you?”_

_Soobin scoffed, facing the large window—the first time he’s turned his back at Yeonjun, “Concerned about the kingdom. Money, power, alliances and war? Yes, they love that. Concerned about me? I doubt it.”_

_“I… why do you hate being a prince so much?”_

_“Pressure. Since I was twelve they’ve subjected me to training and I want none of it. And the fact that they want me to marry?” Soobin faced Yeonjun again, who was frozen in his spot. Within minutes of knowing the prince, Soobin was already ranting to him._

_“If they’re so keen on making me the heir, then why would they want me to marry? I can rule on my own. But I won’t, I don’t want to.”_

_“Maybe to have a child on the throne after your reign?” by now, Yeonjun was testing the water’s limits. He’s probably an inch close to pissing off the prince and he hasn’t even started his job yet._

_“A child? If I were to have a child I don’t want them to go through this hell. I want them to grow happily and experience a childhood filled with friendship and eating, and sleeping, not being forced into armors or having crowns fitted over their heads.”_

_His statement stunned Yeonjun. The prince made sense, and had a vague outlook on the future. He wasn’t as ignorant as Arin and Namjoon made him think._

_“If you’re king… then you don’t have to force them into it, change the rules and such--”_

_“Why are we talking about this, and why do you seem like you’re talking me into this?” And then, realization hit him._

_… ”You’re Yeonjun aren’t you?” Soobin’s face fell, “Just when I was beginning to like your company,” and just like that, Soobin stomped away. However, before he completely rounded the corner, he turned back and said, “Oh, and, just so you know, I am educated and I know my manners so, yes. I do know the difference between a butter and steak knife. It’s just fun to annoy my father, and Namjoon, mostly.”_

_“Hey, he likes your company, that’s a start, amirite?” Beomgyu flew back onto Yeonjun’s side._

. . .

“This is so petty, _I_ am so petty, Beomgyu,” Yeonjun couldn’t help it. He cried, his tearducts broke. He wasn’t looking out his attic window anymore, instead he had his face buried in a pillow, hiding his tearstained cheeks from the parrot, who would tease him about it sooner or later.

“You’re… not petty. You fell in love. And that’s very brave of you… to harbor feelings for the uhm… the prince.”

“No, Gyu,” Yeonjun whined further, “I’m petty, not brave. I should’ve been strong and y’know _not_ fall head over heels for him but I did! I’m petty.”

“Okay, yes. You’re petty.”

Yeonjun lifted his head to glare at Beomgyu through his swollen eyes, “You were supposed to convince me I’m not petty! What kind of friend are you?” Yeonjun huffed.

“I’m a friend who is tired of giving advices to people like you who wouldn’t take the advice anyway.”

Yeonjun blinked. Sometimes he has these thoughts that Beomgyu would be better off as human, but Beomgyu was a parrot, no way to change it. Beomgyu’s smart. No, rephrase that, he’s an overly talkative parrot who hangs around humans too much.

Seeing as his friend has resigned himself to sulking again, Beomgyu’s conjured up an idea.

“Wanna annoy Taehyun-ah?”

When has that ever been a good idea?

Yeonjun nearly agreed, but rationed with himself, “Beom, I’m always the one being punished for both of our antics, it’s unfair. I’m the one being locked up and starved, not you.”

“But it’s fun isn’t it?” Beomgyu continued to persuade Yeonjun, “Let’s get back at them, if they’re going to keep depriving you, better to have fun while they’re at it.”

Yeonjun sighed, “Just admit you want Taehyun to be your husband if you want to see him so bad every day.”

Beomgyu sighed in defeat, “You’re no fun.” Before Beomgyu could act like a pouty kid, Yeonjun caved in. The last time he said no to Beomgyu, the parrot refused to talk to him, and life without Beomgyu was _boring._

“Now that I think about it…,” Yeonjun wiped his tears and stood from the bed, “the mistress wants me to clean up the kitchen. Wanna mess it up even more?”

Beomgyu gave a look of concern, “All I want is to annoy Taehyun, not give you a death sentence.”

“I’ve been starved and stripped of liberty at this point, I have nothing little to nothing to lose. And I’m quite sure the mistress wouldn’t think of burying me alive. Though…” Yeonjun paused, “She might break my fingers—oh well.”

. . .

Yeonjun was in the middle of mopping the kitchen floors when Beomgyu came in, bringing a bar of soap in between his beak. The boy looked at the bird, giving him the go signal to place it inside the container in the oven to melt.

The bird did so, one of his feathers nearly catching fire. “Taehyun-ah is _so_ gonna hate us for this, I can’t wait.”

“Yeah,” Yeonjun rolled his eyes, “I can’t wait to get tortured by the bitch mistress either.”

After a few minutes, the soap has already melted. Yeonjun pulled it out of the fire, the heat still seeping through the thick cloth he used to avoid getting burned.

“Remind me why we couldn’t just put the soap in the soles of his shoe?” Beomgyu chirped, already eyeing Taehyun’s brown brogues (a classy pair of dress shoes Taehyun treasured.)

“We already did that before, he ended up with a medic,” Yeonjun replied, smearing soap all over the kitchen floor entrance. He swore he could still see the faint outline of a bruise on Taehyun’s forehead from where his head collided with the door after an attempt to save himself from hitting the floor.

“… how is _this_ any safer?”

“It’s safer than that _put Taehyun in a tub of boiling water_ plan we had earlier.”

“Touche.”

“Now to play the waiting game,” Yeonjun huffed. Before Beomgyu could reply, their waiting game got cut short.

 _“Mistress, no!”_ Beomgyu said, but of course, only Yeonjun was able to hear his warning. In the mistress’s ears, it was all but a chirp.

The mistress, wearing a purple dress robe casted a glare towards the bird at the sound. Beomgyu felt the impending scolding because , _“Why haven’t you gotten rid of that creature of yours, Yeonjun?!”_ The scolding never came.

Yeonjun turned just in time for their eyes to connect for a split second as the mistress slipped, diving headfirst onto the floor. Yeonjun stared in shock, mostly horror, at the mistress’s bun-tied greyish hair as he waited for the mistress to get up herself—if she isn’t unconscious already.

It was the longest two minutes of Yeonjun’s life. He bent down with the intention of helping the mistress back to her feet, but before he could, the mistress stood by herself and winced away from him in disgust.

The mistress’s forehead was turning into a shade that would definitely bruise. At that exact moment, Yeonjun thought that maybe it would’ve been better for both him and Beomgyu if the mistress never helped herself up from the floor.

. . .

This was probably the worst punishment the mistress has ever done to him.

He wasn’t a stranger to being starved and locked, but not having Beomgyu by his side? Now _that_ was new.

The mistress dragged him back up to the attic with sweet parting words such as, _“If you pull something worse than this, I will leave you in the forest cabin to rot,” and “I will bury you alive.”_

The second, Yeonjun didn’t fear that much. The mistress was always only all words when it came to her death threats. But the first one? That, Yeonjun was _actually_ afraid of. The mistress was totally capable of doing that.

The mistress threw him inside his room, and Yeonjun didn’t even bother to fight against it. The lock clicked, but that wasn’t the last sound he heard from the outside.

 _“Taehyun-ah, let go of me!”_ Beomgyu. Again, only Yeonjun could hear his voice, he wasn’t going to deny that it was funny. Yeonjun heard Taehyun ascend the stairs, he could only imagine how much Taehyun was straining to keep himself from sneezing and releasing the bird.

It also wasn’t the first time the mistress had ordered her son to catch the bird.

“ _Taehyun-ah, as much as I am absolutely loving your hands around me, I do not consider this as a hug, you’re strangling me!_ ”

“ _Hey, ouch! That was my rib!_ ” Taehyun must’ve tightened his grip around the poor parrot to lessen his annoying chirps.

_“Seriously? A cage? This is more torture than when you plucked out six of my feathers!”_

Taehyun’s footsteps receded, and from the silence, Yeonjun could assume that Beomgyu was left alone.

 _“Okay, that’s it. I’ve had enough.”_ Yeonjun had no idea why Beomgyu was still screaming his lungs out, his words weren’t directed at Yeonjun aka the only one who could hear him, were they?

_“Kai show yourself, I need you I can’t stay in this god-forsaken cage! Might as well been dead.”_

Kai?

_“Kai I need your bibbidi-bobbidi!”_

Kai… where did he hear that name before?

… the merchant who saved Beomgyu?

_“Kai the one you told me to watch over could be in danger I am not with him right now!”_

_“Yeonjun was your responsibility and you brought me back to watch over him for you right? You lazy mother--”_

What the hell was this bird on about?

 _“Fairy god mother where art thou!?”_ Yeonjun heard Beomgyu scraping his claws on the metal cage.

Then Beomgyu just… stopped?

Yeonjun’s eyebrows creased, _what’s gotten into him?_

“Took him long enough,” Yeonjun whipped towards the direction of the window to see Beomgyu holding the key to his bird cage.

“Who? Who exactly is Kai?”

“Funny story actually,” Beomgyu flew towards Yeonjun, dropping the key on the windowsill, “he only appeared and helped me after I called him fairy godmother. He hates the term, y’know? But drastic times call for drastic measures--”

“Who is Kai? You’re not answering my question.”

“Oh, you don’t know?”

“Of course I don’t know--”

“Sorry, I just… I assumed you did. Kai doesn’t like it when I talk to people about him. I just—when I came back after drowning, I thought he told you why he brought me back.”

“I don’t even know the guy, Beom,” Yeonjun said, the gears of his brain desperately trying to process what Beomgyu was saying.

“Basically, magic is real…” and then, Beomgyu proceeded to give him _the talk._

. . .

_The last thing Beomgyu remembered was colliding with a tree and drowning. He vaguely remembered the orange fishes that didn’t bother to help him (why would they?). He remembered flapping his wings to reach the surface, but he couldn’t since it only provided him more pain._

_He remembered seeing the ripples on the surface as his back hit the deepest part of the pond. He remembered a last heartbreak—he wouldn’t be able to bid the young Yeonjun goodbye._

_So how and why was he on a fluffy white pillow, the soft melody of a piano caressing his ears? How and why were there clouds that resembled cotton candy around him?_

_He tried to flap his wings, and miraculously, he felt no pain. Was he dead? Is this parrot heaven?_

_He felt light as he flapped his wings and flew towards the direction of the soft tunes of the piano._

_It didn’t take him long to find it, since the entire place sat on a cloud._

_“You’re awake,” the pianist said, slinging his legs over the long piano stool he was sitting on to face the parrot, who was merely hovering over the air, confused._

_“Where am I? What is thi--” Beomgyu halted his own talking. Talking. He heard himself talk._

_“About that,” the boy giggled, “You’re not dead. And you can talk from now on. Are you feeling well, Beomgyu? I can bring you back to Yeonjun if you are.”_

_“I’m okay but… I’m confused.”_

_The boy nodded, collecting his thoughts before telling Beomgyu what he had to know._

_The boy’s name is Kai. And recently, his Mother has been ordering around his brothers and sisters, the fairies, including him. His Mother didn’t specify the do’s and don’ts of their job, so Kai has devised a technique._

_“If a child who’s been assigned to me has a pet, I don’t see why I couldn’t help myself by giving their companions a voice only they and I can hear. Saves my time.”_

_“Time to what? Play piano?”_

_Kai rolled his eyes at the bird, “I have more important duties to attend to, and if the child isn’t in any danger then I don’t have to be spying on them all the time. I can just have you guys report to me.”_

_“You’re a lazy fairy godmother, you know that right?”_

_Kai glared at him, “We only use that term for Mother, because there is no way I am going to be seen in a sparkly dress and a pink wand.”_

_The bird assessed Kai’s outfit. He dressed the same way Taehyun did, only with an added touch of sophistication since this guy was a fairy and Taehyun was only a human who was lucky enough to be born with a silver spoon in his mouth._

_“Please never call me that again,” Kai pouted, and the bird knew better than to tease further. As easy as this fairy gave his life back, the easier it was for him to take it away once he’s truly pissed._

_“Call out for me when Yeonjun needs me, okay?”_

. . .

“Wait, let me process…” Yeonjun’s eyes squinted and focused on the wall. Beomgyu just told him magic and fairies existed, he needed a minute.

“So… you called kai fairy god mother and _that’s_ what made him show up?”

“Like I said,” Beomgyu sighed in exasperation, “he’s lazy, and he hates being called that. But hey, I got out of the cage, that’s what matters.”

. . .

Somehow, Yeonjun managed to convince both the mistress and Taehyun that Beomgyu was gone, and would never be found again. He even managed to squeeze out a few crocodile tears from his tearducts.

“Beomgyu’s gone, he flew out of that cage—you know how strong that bird is--” Yeonjun said, wiping his fake tears as he recounted the time Beomgyu alone carried a sack of flour, one that weighed a pound, to the house, “He must’ve clawed at the rusty lock and escaped! He didn’t even say goodbye.”

Okay, maybe Yeonjun _is_ a drama queen.

“Imagine that, mistress,” Yeonjun went closer to her and pretended to fall on his knees, “My one and only friend in this cruel world, flying out that window without a word of farewell.”

In reality though, Beomgyu was right outside the said window, a little to the left, just so that neither Taehyun and the mistress could see him.

Beomgyu would rather be elsewhere rather than listen to Yeonjun acting like a pathetic toddler who has lost their teddy bear.

Beomgyu had nowhere else to go… so he decided to visit the Palace of Cerulae—a place he’d never think of visiting again under other circumstances. With everything Yeonjun has done for him, the least Beomgyu could do was give his friend a few updates about the prince’s life.

. . .

“I apologize, my king, but Soobin is still stubborn,” Namjoon conversed with the King in the throne room as Beomgyu hid and perched himself upon a ledge overlooking the two arguing men.

“I thought you said you hired someone to ease him into ruling the kingdom?” The king questioned, completely unaware of the bird’s attentive listening.

“That was about two years ago, your highness. It’s unfortunate that the kid’s father had died. His stepmother had told me Yeonjun had died with him.”

 _Oh that bitch mistress,_ Beomgyu wanted to fly back to the mistress’s mansion just to rip all the hair from her scalp for saying that.

“That’s a shame, isn’t it?” The King said, voice laced with mockery. Beomgyu wondered why the advisor hasn’t resigned yet. “And none of you bothered to look for anyone else that could snap some sense into him? It’s been what, _four years?_ ”

“Your highness, when I broke the news of Yeonjun’s passing to Soobin, he wouldn’t believe me. He was at his denial stage, he was grieving. I don’t have the heart to subject him to further training, nor did I even want to push another one of your knights to his face.”

If Beomgyu didn’t know who Soobin’s real father was, he’d think it were Namjoon. The advisor seemed more caring of Soobin than his father. He always was, he didn’t change.

“And now,” the King slammed his staff onto the floor to stop Namjoon’s rambling, “Where is my son? I summoned him here, not you. We were supposed to discuss about the upcoming ball.”

“He’s in his room, your highness. Truth be told, he doesn’t want to talk to you. I don’t think he has completely gotten over Yeonjun’s death yet.”

Beomgyu should’ve continued listening, but at the mention of the prince’s whereabouts, Beomgyu couldn’t help flying up to the prince’s room. Good thing he still knew his way around.

The prince’s room was as opulent as ever. A fancy chandelier with golden streaks hung from the ceiling, where a bed was situated right in front of Soobin’s walk-in closet. The parrot was careful to keep himself from being seen, knowing well how Sean would react and probably chase him out.

 _“Sean, stop reminding me of him. You’re no help,”_ Soobin sighed as he took what Sean has brought in his mouth. It was one of Beomgyu’s feathers. “Also, where did you find this? As far as I know I’ve cleaned my entire room. Burned everything related to Yeonjun.”

Was it only Beomgyu, or did the prince sound like someone who was getting over a non-existent break-up?

Sean barked, and Soobin seemed to understand, judging by the irritated reply he gave, _“_ No, Sean. Beomgyu couldn’t be here. Yeonjun and his father died years ago when their ship sank. You know how Beomgyu is always with Yeonjun. He’s gone too, Sean. Accept it. _”_

The dog whined and comically shook his head, running out of Soobin’s room, only to return with three more green feathers in his mouth. At that, Soobin dropped the book he was holding, placing it on the table in front of him and crouching down to inspect the said feathers.

At the distance, Beomgyu checked his wings, _oh god I’m going to be hairless soon._ Unknown to him, his feathers were shedding as he flew around the castle. He should’ve been more careful.

“Even if there _is_ a chance that he’s alive… Yeonjun isn’t anymore. And I need to find a wife soon.”

“Oh don’t even give me ideas of finding a husband instead. Knowing father, he would label the ball as for maidens only.”

Sean continued to bark aggressively. Was Sean like Beomgyu? He didn’t remember them being able to speak to each other… though Soobin _did_ say he loved Sean more than his own family, it only made sense if that _one lazy fairygodmother_ gave Sean a tongue as well.

“Sean if you say _Yeonjun_ one more time--”

The dog’s barking intensified.

“Look, Sean, okay? I know that I had this delusion to marry Yeonjun and run away with him when I was fifteen years old but that was that! Enough, okay!? He’s dead. So we should stop mulling over it just…” Soobin trailed off.

The dog whimpered.

“I should just attend that ball and find a queen, shouldn’t I?”

The dog barked in protest.

“Let’s just get it over with,” Soobin threw Beomgyu’s feathers in the trash, “those were obviously just… another parrot’s feathers. Green ones are common around here, boy.”

Soobin opened his arms, and the dog jumped and settled on his lap. Beomgyu adjusted his view to see that… Soobin was crying. Beomgyu’s immersion in Soobin’s little monologue made him fail to notice the setting sun.

“I’ll never get over him, Sean. I miss him so much.”

Beomgyu wanted to stay for the angst, but this newfound information was too good not to share with Yeonjun.

As Soobin grieved for a soul who wasn’t even dead, Beomgyu flew back to the Kang’s household in a hurry.

He was _so_ going to get these two, gay, pining idiots together somehow.


	2. How Your Heart is Grieving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeonjun's just sad, Beomgyu feels he's slipping away.

_"Holy mother of Taehyun-- Yeonjun, you lost him didn't you?!" Beomgyu said as he flew back and forth, surveying here and there to see where the prince had gone after he walked out on them earlier in the library._

_"His advisor is so going to have your head on a stake--"_

_"Beomgyu, would you kindly shut up?" Yeonjun whisper-yelled, earning a few weird and slightly concerned glances from the palace-folk. He had one of his hands gripping the handle of an overly huge chessboard. If he hadn't been seen with Namjoon earlier, he might've already been accused of smuggling this huge board game, or trespassing. They might call pest control on Beomgyu._

_Beomgyu had insisted they bring the chessboard along to appease the prince. As they walked, the chess pieces rattled, reminding Yeonjun that he, in fact, does not know a single thing about chess._

_"It doesn't matter, just let him win," Beomgyu had said as they decided to descend down the palace stairs. If Soobin were to really escape Yeonjun, he'd go somewhere outside. They dashed through the intricate walls, through the arches that curved elegantly above them._

_"That would make me a bad opponent then; it wouldn't prove anything to him--"_

_"And just what exactly are you going to prove, Yeonjun?"_

_"That I sincerely apologize," Yeonjun wanted to laugh. He's done nothing bad aside from being Choi Yeonjun, who the prince wasn't particularly fond of._

_"Then it's the thought that really counts. The prince doesn't look like an egotist."_

_"And you expect me to let him win just like that?" Yeonjun said, offended._ _He was the egotist._ _"What's the worst case scenario?" Aside from Beomgyu, the only other thing he can't live with losing was his pride—bordered on hubris._

_"Worst case, you get sent back to your boring and uneventful knight training," Beomgyu flapped closer to Yeonjun._

_"That doesn't sound half as bad."_

_"Best case scenario, though..." the bird paused, "you lose your pride, you become his bride."_

_Beomgyu probably didn't mean it that way, he was simply jesting around, it was only another one of his harmless teasing._

_Yes, it meant nothing. Yeonjun shouldn't let this bird's words get to him. But Yeonjun knew himself-- if something is said multiple times, his mind was susceptible in believing it, the more he would try to go against it, the higher the chance of it hitting him like a pie on the face._

_So, he continued walking._

_They neared one of the palace's exits, big fancy wooden doors that kept the royals from the outside world— kept Yeonjun from where he belonged._

_For someone who wasn't familiar with the palace's interior, Yeonjun was doing quite well with self-navigation._

_The sun was warm, not scorching, just warm enough for Yeonjun to know it was a good day._

_Eventually, they found themselves a few steps from the labyrinth._

_"He could be there," Beomgyu rationed, "Or, we could both get lost, you'd starve to death, and that dog could eat your remains."_

_"Your casual morbidity astounds me, Beom," Yeonjun joked, already making his way to the entrance of the labyrinth, vines and flowers adorned the unkempt tall walls of green._

_"Let me hover," Beomgyu said, and before Yeonjun could advance, he was already rising, slightly swayed by the altitude, it sure was windy up there, "Right, found him. Follow my lead."_

. . .

" _Yeonjun-ah!_ " Yeonjun jolted from his bed. Once again being reminded of the fact that he was enclosed in a four-cornered attic, with only a table, a bed, a window that provided him sunlight and oxygen—he lived nowhere, he was no one, _nothing_ compared to Soobin, a dream too far to reach.

Maybe that was why he never even tried to reach him before.

Maybe the memory Prince Soobin just a part of his fever dreams? A hallucination he's conjured up to cope with the loss of his father and dealing with the bitch mistress? Had Beomgyu _actually_ died when he hit the tree? Has Yeonjun been crazy from the beginning?

"What the hell, Beom?" Yeonjun sneered, head pounding from the way he rose so suddenly from his horizontal position.

 _"Yeonjun, Soobin still has a thing for you!"_ If Beomgyu were human, Yeonjun could imagine his hands flailing, maybe Beomgyu would even shake him by the shoulders with extra-wide eyes and an extra-stretched smile. But he was a bird, so his gestures as he freaked out were limited.

Yeonjun, in his stunned and self-deprecating state, merely opened and closed his mouth like a blobfish. He managed to mutter a small, "What?"

Okay, there may be a miniscule chance that Yeonjun's mind really is making this up.

_"Prince Soobin! I sneaked into the castle and eavesdropped a bit--"_

"You what?!"

All of his doubts about the possibility of _this_ being a fragment of his imagination was quickly overthrown by his screams of protest, while Beomgyu continued to speak of his new knowledge.

_"I heard him, I think he was talking with Sean—that isn't the thing. He is still so whipped for you! Like... I think he loves you."_

Yeonjun wanted to cry, "Don't say things like that, Beom."

Seeing his crestfallen friend, Beomgyu flew closer, head facing upwards. _"There's still a chance for you to see him. It's not too late."_

"If this is true... then why didn't he look for me? And is it even possible for me to see him again?"

As if he wasn't heavy enough, the bed seemed to dip even more at the weight of Yeonjun's emotions.

Though Beomgyu did not want to mention it, forgot to mention some major setbacks.

The first one being, _"He thinks you're dead..."_

Yeonjun groaned loudly, running his hands through his hair in frustration, his mind knowing exactly _who_ was to blame for that, "Fucking bitch mistress...-- Is there any way we can prove to Soobin I'm actually _not_ dead?"

If Beomgyu were human, he'd have his hand scratching nervously at his nape, a sheepish grin on his face replacing what was once a genuine smile.

" _There's a ball tomorrow..._ "

The boy seemed to perk up at that, hopeful interest playing in his eyes.

" _But..._ "

Yeonjun was dying from suspense already.

_"It's for maidens only."_

Yeonjun felt like crying again.

. . .

_The young Yeonjun peeked through the corner hand resting on the tall, vine-covered hedge. Beomgyu has perched atop that said hedge, anticipating Yeonjun's next move._

_The bird has led him to the center of the maze, where an elegant fountain stood, clear water flowing, some birds drinking from it, their talons clasped around the fountain's rim. The place was simple, just like the other parts of the palace. Simple but elegant. Prince Soobin sat at the center, a bronze-colored pup silently dozing off on his lap._

_He sat cross-legged on the grass, the pup's head gently lolling to the side, towards where Soobin's touch warmed his furry ears. Two fluffy beings just curled up at the side of the fountain. Yeonjun wanted to smother them both with kisses—wait, what?_

_He instantly wiped those thoughts from his head. It didn't surprise him though, for at a young age Yeonjun knew he wasn't like the typical boy. His companions would often tease him about his crush on the local seamstress' daughter, but truth be told, he only had interest in his male peers in the training grounds... not that he would admit it to anyone but himself and Beomgyu._

_But of course his crush on one of his peers was forgotten the moment he set his eyes on the prince._

_He just didn't think he'd catch these symptoms of infatuation too soon._

_"Hey loverboy, you're staring," the bird chirped... almost too loudly._

_The prince heard Beomgyu's incomprehensible chirp, causing him to look up in alarm. Yeonjun retreated behind the bush, and Beomgyu flew down there with him._

_If they weren't in this compromising position, Yeonjun would've outright strangled his pesky little pet._

_"You're blushing. Yeonjun you're actually blushing--"_

_Yeonjun shot him a glare. They stayed silent for a few seconds until the rustling of the leaves were the only things he heard. Yeonjun slowly stood from where he hid, and rounded the corner to—_

_"Ah!" Yeonjun yelped like a maiden who had just seen a ghost. His heart was thumping at an unnatural speed, he thought it might burst. The chessboard he held was left discarded a few feet from him as he accidentally flung it along with his fright._

_Yeonjun lifted his gaze up, to be met with Soobin's amused expression as he cradled his dog between his arms._

_"I knew it was you," Soobin said, his playful smirk complimenting the crinkles in his eyes as he spoke, "Did Namjoon, perhaps, fail to tell me you have stalkerish tendencies?"_

_"Your Highness," Yeonjun said in a haste, picking himself up and dusting his clothes, getting rid of the minimal dirt that has clung onto his pants. Once he was face to face with the prince, he noticed how neither of them had to crane their necks to look at each other, they were about the same height._

_Yeonjun was keen on explaining himself, he had to. But the blush on his face and the noisy bird who kept saying, "Oh my god Yeonjun you just literally fell for him!" did not help at all._

_Soobin crouched down to let go of Sean, who instantly took off to chase the bird away. Yeonjun held his smile, though, as the prince watched his dog chase the bird out of the labyrinth._

_"If you call me that again, I swear I'm beheading you," Soobin threatened. But Yeonjun only felt giddier, how could such a fatal threat sound so cute from the prince?_

_"In that case, I wouldn't mind dying by your hands. It would be an honor, Your Highness," Yeonjun pressed, and again, he was testing the waters—pushing it even._

_"In that case," Soobin retorted, turning his back and walking towards the fountain, "I'd just ignore you, then. Seeing as you seem to be demanding my attention so much, Yeonjun Choi, it'd be more torturous if I pretended you don't exist."_

_The prince proceeded to sit by the rim of the fountain, gently running his hands over the water's surface. The birds seemed to sing a hymn at the closeness of the prince._

_"How would you want me to address you, jokes aside?" Yeonjun said, taking the chess board from the ground and sitting beside Soobin on the fountain, a few inches apart to fit the chessboard between them._

_"I'm ignoring you, Yeonjun," Soobin said matter-of-factly as he stared into his reflection in the rippling water. Yeonjun could almost see Soobin's eyes wandering to the elder's reflection, but he still shouldn't grant himself the leisure of thinking such._

_"Okay, 'I'm ignoring you Yeonjun', how about a game of chess?" The knight said, his own chest filling with warmth at how the prince wasn't making any deliberate move to drive him away._

_Soobin turned to face the elder, he took the chessboard and opened it up. "Fine, call me Soobin... or something. I can't continue ignoring you for her sake."_

_"Her?"_

_"Chess. Don't think I'm doing this for you, or for Namjoon, or for Arin noona. Just for chess."_

_Yeonjun's heart swelled even more._ _Was Soobin giving him a chance?_ _He didn't know why Soobin's words affected him this way, he could just coo at the prince for the entirety of his life--_

_"What color do you play?" Soobin asked, harshly dragging Yeonjun's thoughts from cloud nine, to the ground._

_"What?"_

_"Black or white?" Soobin reiterated, peering into Yeonjun's eyes like he was trying to decipher something._

_"What's the difference?"_

_Soobin let out a laugh of disbelief, "You don't play do you? Don't they teach this at knight training?"_

_Instead of letting his embarrassment swallow him whole, Yeonjun replied, "I see you've never been to the training grounds then, have you?"_

_Soobin stilled, and then proceeded to flip the board once more to place the pieces on the small monochrome squares. "That's no secret."_

_After the prince had placed all the pieces in their proper positions, he began to explain, "White always has the first move. But I like playing black, though. It adds that extra challenge."_

_"I'll play white, then," Yeonjun said, keeping Beomgyu's word in mind. It didn't matter if he won or lost. He just had to appease the prince. Not that Yeonjun was still reluctant about that. Soobin nodded and expertly flipped the board, wary of the fountain's water beneath them._

_Soobin chortled, no when Yeonjun's first move was to make the knight take the place of the queen. "Yeonjun," Soobin couldn't contain his laughter, "What the hell do you think you just did?"_

_The elder wanted to drown himself into the fountain's shallow water for being laughed at by the prince. But the prince was smiling because of him. He was the reason why Soobin couldn't stop giggling for the life of him. It was kind of cute. Yeah, the prince was cute._

_Yeonjun pushed away all his self-belittling thoughts and emotions, and explained the less than logical reason for his move._

_"The point of chess is to win by protecting the king, right?" Yeonjun said, he really doesn't know why he was still looking for assurance from the laughing prince._

_Yeonjun continued, "Well... the queen is the queen, and the knight is a knight. The knight is the king's protector. If anything, they should always be together in a battlefield."_

_"Are you saying the queen can't protect the king?"_

_Yeonjun shook his head, "Don't misunderstand me... I just... a knight's sole purpose is to protect the king," Yeonjun recalled what has been taught to him the first time he held a sword._

_"And the queen? What's her sole purpose?" Soobin found himself asking._

_"To... love the king, and be by his side while ruling the kingdom."_

_"Then why did your knight throw your own queen off the board?" Soobin pointed out as Yeonjun's queen dangled off the board's edge._

_"Because the king didn't like the queen, didn't want to marry at all," Yeonjun said as if it were the most natural thing to say. As if he hadn't just unintentionally referenced their conversation earlier in the library._

_"So you're saying the king prefers the knight, then?" Soobin asked, his face unreadable from where he looked intently at the board._

_"I think he does."_

_"What if he doesn't?" Soobin kept his gaze on the board, and maybe he too was curious on how the boy next to him would respond._

_"I still like to think that, with time, he will."_

_"So does the knight like the king too?" It was a weak attempt to drop the conversation that was making them both flustered over a game of chess._

_"I'm sure he does, Soobin," Yeonjun smiled, the comforting aura between them manifesting. The birds began to sing their hymn again. The prince smiled back._

_"Okay, I think that's valid. I still need to show you how to play properly, though. Not everyone would let that pass as an excuse."_

_"You'd... teach me how to play?"_

_"If you'd let me," Soobin reached out to place the knight and queen back to their original positions._

_"Okay," his voice wavered, "Okay, Soobin. But--"_

_"Your duties," Soobin's face fell upon remembering why Yeonjun was even here in the first place, "We're getting along, aren't we? I'll train with you just so that Namjoon doesn't fire you before you could play this game properly."_

_"Really?" Yeonjun quirked. Though Soobin's reason was like a stab to his pride, he could feel there was something more to it._

_"Don't think I'm doing this for you or Namjoon. It's still for the sake of chess, not even our heart-to-heart conversation would change that."_

_"Okay, whatever you say," he mumbled, sneakily keeping his eyes on Soobin while he explained on and on about how the pieces can't just jump around like kangaroos on the board._

_. . ._

. . .

"I'm going to die gay and old!" Yeonjun screamed into his pillow, melodramatically pulling at his own hair while throwing a tantrum and acting like a grounded toddler. Well, in a way... Yeonjun _is_ like a grounded toddler-- minus the loving parents; plus abusive stepmom.

 _"You won't..."_ Beomgyu tried to console him, but he was perched a few meters from the boy. Right above his head on one of the protruding wood frames in the attic—a safe distance from the walking, talking whack-machine named Yeonjun Choi.

Yeonjun continued to ignore Beomgyu. Sometimes, the bird really thinks he's talking to a brick wall instead of his friend.

"Beomgyu," Yeonjun paused as if a realization dawned on him—Beomgyu could only hope it was something sensible.

"I'm dying a virgin," Yeonjun whined, rolling to his side, like a kitten mewling at the loss of its ball of yarn.

Beomgyu stared blankly at the air. He wanted to un-hear that. Could Kai help him un-hear that?

_"Yeah, and I could claw at you until you lose enough blood, and then, you'd really be the next angel in heaven—or an ingredient in a ritualistic sacrifice, your pick. Or you can stop whining and we can think of a way we could get you to the prince."_

In the inside, Yeonjun was cursing Namjoon for ever bringing them together. Of all these people in the world, _why_ did he have to like the prince?

And _why_ did Beomgyu have to bear the news of the prince apparently having mutual feelings?

"Why should I believe you, Beom?"

Beomgyu sputtered at Yeonjun's words, quickly going to his side and latching onto his arm, attempting to shake some sense into Yeonjun—doing so was getting more difficult by the second. Yeonjun was regressing.

_"Why would I lie about this? I would never lie to you."_

"Liar, that could be a lie, too." Yes, Yeonjun was totally regressing, character development but backwards.

 _"You know I'm not lying, Yeonjun. There was a reason I've always referred to you both as gay, pining, idiots."_ Beomgyu's voice was soft and sincere despite his subtle jest.

"But... he never said anything," Yeonjun said, dragging himself back into denial as soon as Beomgyu hauled him out of it.

 _"Yeonjun, my friend,"_ Beomgyu was getting frustrated, " _You've never said anything either."_

. . .

_"Checkmate." There, it was Soobin's favorite word. The word that rolled off his tongue like honey—but it wasn't Soobin who said it. It was his opponent, Yeonjun._

_"Well played," Soobin said, chewing his cheek in disbelief. Yeonjun had outsmarted him, "But I lost because I let you play white. White has the advantage--"_

_"Soobinnie~" Yeonjun teased, it's been a few months since they first met, nicknames were normal at this stage. "I've been playing white since day one, admit it, I'm getting better at this!"_

_Yeonjun was way too enthusiastic about it, Soobin relished in his friend's victory—it wasn't everyday that Yeonjun was this happy to have beaten the price at the game he plays best._

_Still in their training gear, Yeonjun stood from his stool, motioning for Soobin to follow suit._

_"Yeonjun--" Soobin tried to protest, but Yeonjun immediately shut him down._

_"I won, Soobin-ah. It means I get another round." Yeonjun said, taking one of the swords from where they were situated in the weapon racks. Yeonjun has used Soobin's love for chess to his harmless advantage—another round of sparring whenever Yeonjun wins._

_The prince huffs, "Fine, only if you tell me how the hell you beat me."_

_Yeonjun smiled._

_"I don't know how I did it, Soobin. I just aligned my rook to the bishop, hence giving protection to the queen and bam! Checkmate." Yeonjun rummaged for his own sword among the others, the prince's own one was placed conveniently at the front._

_Once he finally found it he tosses Soobin's sword towards the prince's direction. He was quick to respond and caught it right by its handle. That was when he realized how much heavier it was than their usual wooden sword they used for practice._

_"Uhh, Yeonjun?" the prince called, lazily swaying the heavy sword around, "Is this the real thing?"_

_"We're bound to try using a real one, can't have the prince wielding wood in battle, can we?" Yeonjun said, pushing Soobin into the middle of the training ground. Yeonjun had insisted that he was capable of helping the prince even when other people were present, but Namjoon had only said too many people would only cause distraction for the prince, not to mention he might get harmed by it too._

_Soobin staggered and the sword still swayed in his grasp._

_"Soobin, you'd hurt yourself at that state," Yeonjun was quick to snap Soobin back to his senses, "Hold it like you would the_ _wooden_ _one."_

_Soobin cautiously neared one of his hands towards the sword's hilt, his other one supporting the base—just like how Yeonjun had instructed him to._

_"Okay," Yeonjun stood a few paces from the prince and the area where he approximated the sword to reach, "Now swing." His own sword was posed in a defensive manner in front of him._

_Soobin did so, but as soon as he did, he couldn't handle the momentum, it was all new to him, and the sword nearly flew out of his grasp completely. Yeonjun shook his head as he remembered how Namjoon had convinced him to train the prince with a wooden sword first. He said it wouldn't be the same, but Namjoon insisted to use the safer alternative first to teach Soobin the basics without entirely scaring him off._

_But_ _it_ _seemed to fade into nothing as Yeonjun found themselves back to square one. Yeonjun carefully went towards Soobin, dropping his own sword, "I knew those wooden swords were shit," Yeonjun muttered._

_"I did exactly what you said--"_

_"I know you did, it's the sword_ _'s_ _fault, not yours. I'll just have to teach you again."_

_Yeonjun positioned himself behind Soobin, one more step behind and Soobin would come crashing onto his chest, but before that happened, Yeonjun was the first to—was he hugging Soobin?_

_The prince blushed, and the scarlet shade only deepened as soon as Yeonjun's two hands hovered over his and guided the sword back into its place. Yeonjun's touch was as light as a ghost's, but Yeonjun's warmth around him was enough to prove that it was there._

_Soobin should've gotten used to this... but since he and Yeonjun have become closer in the span of months, he couldn't help feeling things he didn't want to feel. As for Yeonjun? He hadn't the slightest idea of how he was affecting the younger._

_He gulps while listening to Yeonjun's voice. "Hold onto it tightly, Soobin. You can't surrender to its weight. You'll get used to it, mind over body, right?"_

_"Right."_

_So when Yeonjun took a firm hold on Soobin's clammy hands, maybe gripping them a tad too tightly, with a tinge of care-- Soobin knew he was done for._

. . .

Yeonjun has successfully cried himself to sleep, and Beomgyu let him. Someone help this bird, he doesn't know what to do about Yeonjun anymore.

Beomgyu heard Taehyun and the mistress arguing about something downstairs, but all Beomgyu cared about was Yeonjun. As far as he knew, his friend hasn't eaten a single thing today, no wonder crying his eyes out would exhaust him.

"Beomgyu?" Came a soft call, more like a whimper. The bird knew it was Yeonjun's voice.

 _"You're up?"_ the bird replied, staying put at where he was.

"Sometimes I wish I were a girl."

The bird was aware of the different ways people coped with sadness, he just didn't expect Yeonjun to be like _this._

" _Why?_ " Beomgyu decided to indulge his friend by carrying the conversation. Maybe to take some weight off his Yeonjun's chest.

"Many reasons."

_"You'd still be the mistress' maid even if you're a girl. That'd only be worse."_

"I could like boys freely if I were a girl. I have a chance with Soobin if I were a girl. Even as a maid, I could escape the bitch mistress and go to the ball."

_"Is that what this is about? The ball being for maidens only?"_

"Geez, if you knew why'd you have to ask?" Yeonjun said, pushing his arm under his pillow to lift it up and bury his face under it. Since when had he been weak enough to let a parrot trample over his self-esteem?

 _"We could think of a plan, though. We only need Soobin to see and recognize you, and then knowing that he's also whipped as hell, he's going to follow you out. You won't have to be at the ball--_ "

Yeonjun sat up, facing the bird at the foot of his bed. "That's not what I want, Beomgyu," he sighed.

"I don't want to rid him of his birthright. He's the prince, he's supposed to be king, supposed to find a queen, and have a child of his own. I—I can't be selfish."

Beomgyu wanted to refuse and counter what Yeonjun had just said, but before he could, Yeonjun spoke first.

"I'm just a knight— _was_ a knight. Couldn't even make it to the garrison because of the bitch mistress. He won't be looking for an ex-knight at the ball. He'd be looking for someone who would be by his side... love and care for him."

Beomgyu wanted to grow a woodpecker's beak just so that he could get through Yeonjun's dense skull and scream, " _YOU ARE JUST DESCRIBING YOURSELF YOU FUCKING PINING IDIOT!_ " Yeonjun could fit that description perfectly, he was just too thick-headed for his own good.

"Then _what_ do you want then?" Beomgyu asked.

"I just want to see him one last time, say goodbye and wish him all the best. Y'know, the privilege the mistress robbed me of."

They sat in silence as Beomgyu wondered how he could convince Yeonjun to step out of his bubble of stupidity until--

"YEONJUN!" came the booming demand of his stepmom. Yeonjun quickly stood up at the sound, scared that if the mistress would see his red eyes and puffy nose, she'd just make him suffer more. Yeonjun sniffed and hurried to his table where a handkerchief was conveniently placed.

"Shit," Yeonjun muttered when he heard the clinking of the mistress' heels approaching the attic, he dabbed the cloth onto his eyelids, hastily drying them and hoping that the mistress wouldn't notice he's been crying like a hopeless peasant who fell in love with the prince.

Well, it _is_ accurate though.

And then, his door swung open.

Yeonjun forced a smile. "Mistress!" He greeted with faux respect.

"I have an errand for you to run." The mistress said, nonchalant about Yeonjun's puffy nose. Yeonjun's chest ached with... what was it? Sadness? Longing? Forced acceptance that he can't get to the ball, and he didn't even have the chance to _think_ about a plan and to shoot his shot? So this was how tragedy felt like.

Yeonjun clenched his teeth, bit his inner lip to keep it from quivering.

"Clean the gardens, rid it of all the weeds and," she grimaced, "animal dung. Get it done by tomorrow."

Yeonjun bit back the insulting words he wanted to hurl at her. Instead, he kept himself composed; _this_ was what he gets for even _hoping_ for a chance to see Soobin. Maybe this was the universe's sign of saying _no._

"Mistress--"

But the mistress has already dismissed him as she went down the stairs, flicking her hand upwards to silence the yearning boy.

After what they've done to the mistress and her previously un-bruised forehead, he doubts the mistress would let him go any time soon.

Beomgyu peeked out from where he hid beneath the bed, covered by Yeonjun's tousled sheets.

"Yeonjun... you'd just have to do what she wants, and then we could start planning to see the princ--"

Yeonjun numbly shook his head, Beomgyu's wee little heart may have clenched in ache, pity, and sympathy for his friend. Yeonjun faced him.

"I should just get it over with. If I saw the prince it wouldn't make a difference anyway."

Beomgyu huffed, his own exhaustion catching up to him. Why should he help two idiots in love who didn't want to be helped? Why should he even bother?

Yeonjun passively went to his small closet, taking out his gardening clothes that Beomgyu suspected hadn't been washed from the last time he cleaned the garden.

Yeonjun continued to speak, Beomgyu could tell that Yeonjun's words weren't meant for anyone, if anything, he was just talking to himself as he slid on his brown working pants. Beomgyu was just a friend, just Yeonjun's talking pet, what could he do?

"The gardens would probably take me two days or three."

Beomgyu waited for Yeonjun to stick out his hand and let Beomgyu perch comfortably on his fingers, but that didn't happen. Yeonjun exited the attic, his demeanor sullen.

Beomgyu was just Yeonjun's pet, but he _was his friend too._ He didn't want to lose Yeonjun over this, but the boy seemed like he was already halfway through slipping away.

. . .

_The fascinating thing about being friends with someone since birth it is easy to be able to read them like a book. Easy to find the hidden patterns within a seemingly monotonous surface._

_Beomgyu has successfully outrun (outflown) the prince's dog, who he assumed was still stuck under the palace's kitchen cupboards._

_Beomgyu arrived at the training palace's training grounds—as usual, it was empty, save for Yeonjun and Soobin, his two favorite idiots. You see, even when Beomgyu has been so loud with his YeonBin agenda, he'd never expected Yeonjun to be so whipped for the prince after a few months. He'd expected Yeonjun would keep it inside, a secret to himself for a long while. But Yeonjun's guard on his feelings are being lowered by the second._

_Beomgyu was used to seeing Yeonjun look longingly at the prince while he was focused on which move would be the best one to beat Yeonjun—be it in chess, swordfighting, and even horse racing. His eyes would always linger. If he wasn't looking at Soobin, he'd dazedly stare at whatever Soobin has touched, or sigh whenever Soobin touched him. Though, the latter was a once in a blue moon experience, and Yeonjun loved it all the more for that._

_Lately, though, Yeonjun's been advancing. Not only with his chess moves, nor his fighting techniques, nor his speedier steed that obviously had longer legs than Soobin's horse (which was why he kept winning, but Yeonjun refused to acknowledge that clear-as-day fact.)_

_And now, Beomgyu blinked, willing his eyes to focus—but his vision wasn't blurry._

_Right there in front of him, right there in front of his non-existent salad—was Yeonjun and Soobin, holding hands, two glistening swords on the floor. Beomgyu wanted to scoff at what he was seeing, did they seriously just take advantage of the training ground's privacy to flirt?_

_No matter how much Beomgyu wanted to barge into their little moment and interrogate Soobin to death regarding his intentions with Yeonjun, he kept still. Easily blending in with the colorful stacks of bows and arrows, hiding behind an arrow's feathered tail._

_Upon further inspection, though... Yeonjun was hurt. Did Soobin accidentally injure Yeonjun? Beomgyu' eyes darted to the swords on the floor. The real, fatal, deadly swords on the floor._

_Soobin had a piece of cloth in hand, there was a bowl of liquid herbal medicine beside them. Yeonjun sat cross-legged on the floor, arm held out towards Soobin, skin beginning to bruise. It came to Beomgyu's realization that his injury wasn't caused by the weapon._

_Soobin, who was kneeling in front of him, gently pressed the cloth to the small cut that tore open near the bruise._

_"Ow!" Yeonjun yelped when the medicine came in contact with the gash._

_Soobin's hand retracted. "Just a little pain, Yeonjun. Is a bruised arm more painful than what you do in your knight training?"_

_"Soobin this is different--"_

_"Oh sure, because being crushed under my weight when you decided to tickle me while I held the sword is supposedly more agonizing than being knocked out in a fist fight with one of your friends."_

_"I couldn't resist, you just looked cute all flustered and all."_

_Soobin sputtered, "Me? I was the flustered one? Really?" Soobin asked while intentionally pressing harder on the bruise. Yeonjun flinched and looked away with the roll of his eyes._

_"Are you done yet?"_

_"No. I won't ever be done with you after you attacked me at my most vulnerable—I nearly hurt you with the sword."_

_"But you didn't."_

_"I still hurt you though," Soobin said while tapping the cloth into the medicine again._

_"'Tis but a scratch, Soobin-ah."_

_"Why did you do it though?"_

_"What? Tickle you? I don't know, I just felt like it."_

_LIIIIAAAAARRRRR. Beomgyu could see it in Yeonjun's playful irises that he did it just so he would have an excuse to have something close to a cuddle with Soobin without directly asking for it._

_"Yeonjun?" Soobin left the cloth in the bowl, looking at Yeonjun intently. Soobin reached to cup Yeonjun's cheek. And Beomgyu felt second hand embarrassment at how quickly Yeonjun blushed—like an artist had thrown the entire paint bucket of red onto his face._

_"S-soobin?"_

_Okay, scratch that, Beomgyu wanted to disown Yeonjun, renounce him, shout to the entire world that he was in no way associated with this Yeonjun Choi who looked as if he were going to burst at Soobin's simple gesture._

_Soobin inched his face closer to Yeonjun's and for a second there, Beomgyu considered tuning his back while singing some sort of ritualistic mating song._

_Seriously, Beomgyu was about to prance around and clap his wings while waving his butt in the air._

_But before he could do anything he'd regret in the morning, Soobin shot forward and tackled Yeonjun to the ground and began taking his revenge, mercilessly tickling the elder until he was breathless, but careful enough to be wary of Yeonjun's bruised arm._

_It soon ended, with both Yeonjun and Soobin lying down on the floor, tired._

_"What the hell was that for," Yeonjun sighed, heart still beating rapidly from, what Beomgyu guessed, laughing excessively and Soobin's proximity._

_"Just felt like it," Soobin replied, letting his gaze fall back and connect with Yeonjun's._

_And Beomgyu wanted to skip to the last chapter already because he couldn't handle this painstakingly sweet slow burn._

. . .

It's been a day, and Yeonjun has been working his ass off for god knows how long. How many weeds have sprouted in the span of three months? And how many creatures have been here to shit?

To think that this huge house has once belonged to him and his father. He'd cleaned the gardens back when his father was still alive, but it was only because he wanted to, not because his father forced him to.

Yeonjun wiped his forehead, wiping the sweat with his wrist, just to keep it from falling into his eyes, muddy hands staining his forehead. When Yeonjun crouched down to pull out an unwanted plant, Beomgyu appeared in front of him, holding a few dead plants with his talons. He figured he could do nothing else but help Yeonjun out.

_"Yeon--"_

"Save it, Beom." Yeonjun intervened before Beomgyu could even say his name.

 _"I can try and call for Kai,"_ Beomgyu supplied, dropping the twigs and weeds onto the messy pile Yeonjun had made.

"My life isn't even in danger. He's busy, he wouldn't answer to us. This is just... I can get over this."

" _You've been saying that ever since you and Soobin got separated. I can't even imagine how you'd cope once you lose this chance and Soobin gets married._ "

"We have a lot more ground to cover, Beom," Yeonjun said, ignoring the truth in Beomgyu's statement. He stood, shoulders slouched and head hung low.

Beomgyu caught up to him, _"I just realized you both are more than being gay, pining idiots."_

"Thanks," Yeonjun replied, crouching down once more to pluck something out of the soil.

_"You're gay, pining cowards."_

Yeonjun did a double take, "Sorry, what?"

Beomgyu winced, he knew what he said must've stung. And he meant for it to. He had to get Yeonjun's attention.

 _"If it's any consolation, Soobin_ _is_ _just as broken over this as you are."_

"Are we going to ignore how you just called me a coward?" Yeonjun's voice broke, "Do you think I wanted any of this to happen? To have the chance to get close to him, huh? Beomgyu, _no I didn't._ I lived a perfectly happy life before I even met him—heck I didn't want to help him in the first place!"

Yeonjun continued to break down, and tears began to brim in his eyes, glistening in broad daylight.

"I didn't mean to love him this way!" Yeonjun's voice raised, a mixture of emotions bubbling up inside of him. He must've looked like a madman, but no one was there to witness it anyway... so it was safe to let lose.

"I didn't mean to want to be by his side every damn second of every day. That's why I kept everything to myself. I kept it a secret for so long, it is still a secret—I'm _hurting,_ Beom. I tried to shove these pesky feelings down because I knew Soobin is the prince—he had a future and if I ever told him, I would only be an obstacle."

"Maybe at some point, he liked me back, sure. But he was fifteen. Although he is all I could think of right now... I was just a phase to him. If I ever told him, sure, it could've changed something. If I were to meet him tonight in the ball somehow, it could change something. But it could be for the worse."

"Soobin's probably grown now, he'd want the crown. He'd want everything he used to hate. He isn't stupid enough to ditch his birthright. I hope he's not."

Yeonjun groaned and made his way to a stone bench conveniently placed at the far end of the garden, his legs gave out and he held his head in his hands.

"You can't just go around calling people cowards," Yeonjun's lips quivered, "Because people who set themselves aside for the betterment of others are anything but."

_"Yeonjun..."_

The bird felt guilty, he shouldn't have called him that.

"It... it's okay, Beom. I'm sorry, maybe I'm just tired," Yeonjun rambled, blinking away his tears.

_"Don't you... at least want to let him know you're alive?"_

"That was the plan, right?" Yeonjun huffed as his eyes scanned over the expanse of green, still untrimmed and unfinished, "But it wouldn't do us any better."

Yeonjun proceeded to follow the mistress' orders.

. . .

Beomgyu really shouldn't have left Yeonjun's side, considering how broken he was over it, but Beomgyu just _had_ to see the prince.

Maybe to find some evidence of Soobin's miserable condition, it was worth a shot. He flew through the village, nearly toppling an entire stack of apples as he zoomed past. Women shrieked when he nearly crashed into a child. He even had a glimpse of the Jung's small shop he used to steal medicine from.

The sun was setting, the ball was _tonight._ Beomgyu had to do something, and if Kai couldn't help them—then Beomgyu shall take matters into his own hands, well, beak.

He neared the castle walls and went above it like usual, as he flew to Soobin's bedroom window like a bat out of hell. With his speed, which blurred his sight of everything else, he failed to see the many maidens who were already outside the castle, awaiting the opening of its gates.

As he expected, his room was empty. Beomgyu went through the blue curtains, when he heard whining coming from the left side of the prince's huge room—towards the front of the prince's walk-in storage room. It was just a closet, really.

Beomgyu decided to ignore the whining and looked through—no, _raided_ the prince's room. After all, no one could accuse a bird of trespassing and theft, right?

 _'Diary, diary, diary, must find the prince's diary...'_ Beomgyu repeated like a motto in his head. He knew Soobin had one, especially since he could never express his thoughts to anyone else other than his dog. Arin would be too busy, Namjoon would scoff, the King would just call him gay and probably tell him to fix himself.

Eventually, though, Beomgyu grew tired of the incessant whining coming from the closet—what the hell?

Great, just great. The prince is closeted and now, Beomgyu thinks, Sean is in the closet too.

Beomgyu made his way towards the latch of the door and pulled the knob. True to his previous assumption, it _was_ Sean inside.

Sean jumped to his feet upon seeing Beomgyu, but before bronze ball of fur could pounce at the bird and suffocate him with puppy licks, a force knocked Beomgyu back, causing him to hurl and feel as if he were being scooped into a black hole. Ah, this feeling was familiar.

When Beomgyu came back to his senses, he was greeted with the face of Kai.

" _Ah!_ " Beomgyu practically squealed, he was sure he pierced through the veils of the living and the dead with how high-pitched it was.

"Miss me?" Kai asked, clad in his merchant clothes. Right, Kai was the _son of a merchant._ It was how he called himself when he was in human ground. But really, Beomgyu wanted to call him a son of a bitch for causing his migraine, unceremoniously swooping him from the prince's quarters and teleporting him to back to the gardens where Yeonjun was. But he thought of a better insult.

_"Son of a--"_

"Fairy?" Kai quipped, and just as quickly, Beomgyu snickered. _"Fairy of dandruff and hair fall, sure."_

Kai's nostrils flared in annoyance at the bird, but it dissipated when he averted his gaze back to Yeonjun, who was currently dozing off on the stone bench, exactly where Beomgyu had left him.

Beomgyu instinctively went beside Yeonjun, whose exhaustion from crying drove him into passing out.

 _"He's dreaming again, isn't he?"_ Beomgyu thought to himself, but of course, Kai caught onto it.

"Yes," Kai affirmed, walking closer to Yeonjun and crouching down to his level, "It's the only way he could forget his heartaches."

 _"Heartaches? You knew?"_ Beomgyu's voice raised, _"I kept on calling out for you! And yet, nada! So why are you here now?"_

Kai flinched at the bird's tone, Beomgyu had always been the most impatient out of the pets who answered to Kai. Not that Kai would openly admit it, but Beomgyu was the one that felt the most human, the one who always called for him for even the pettiest of things—just to cheer Yeonjun up. Kai really admired Beomgyu's persistency and perseverance. Of all those times that the bird called, he'd only answered once, when Beomgyu was locked in the cage.

Ah, it truly was a shame Beomgyu was stuck as a bird. Kai had all the ability to strip Beomgyu of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to. After all, it was quite nice to have someone insult you every waking day. (Like an alarm every morning, he'd hear Beomgyu's shout of "Goodmorning, Fairy dogfarter!" or some variation of that.)

"I've always known, Beomgyu," Kai whispered, "but it has never gotten _this_ bad."

"It felt as if he were dying." Kai recalled the pulses that resounded through his home of clouds. 

"I rushed down here as soon as I felt him..., it wasn't just sadness, Beomgyu. There was fear and anguish. I thought his stepmom had lost her head, or that maybe the house got set on fire.

"But I just saw him here, asleep. I don't know whether I should feel sorry or relieved."

Beomgyu stayed silent at Kai's revelation, watching the fairy reach out a hand to touch Yeonjun's forehead.

"What are you doing?" Beomgyu asked before Kai could do anything else.

"I need to see his dreams, Beomgyu," Kai explains, "Whatever he must've told you before... that was only what he wanted, not what he needs. I must see his true wish."

. . .

_"Yeonjun?"_

_"Yes, Soobin?"_

_"Do you believe in anything?"_

_"I... I believe in talking parrots."_

_"Yeah, right. And Fairies exist."_

_"What if they do?"_

_"Then that would mean magic exists too," Soobin turned to Yeonjun, eyebrows creased, listening._

_"Maybe."_

_"Do you believe in love, Yeonjun?" Soobin asked out of the blue._

_"I believe in you. Love? Not so much."_

_"What about magic?"_

_"Like I said, I believe in you," Yeonjun admires the breathtaking sight in front of him. Soobin with a crown, and with Yeonjun himself by his side._

_"Because you're both."_


	3. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ball is for maidens only, and Kai was very, very keen to help them with that (Euh, watermelons). God help Yeonjun. Also, TaeGyu seem to be more than a side-ship now.

_“Like I said, I believe in you… because you’re both.”_

Kai took in a sharp breath, his connection to Yeonjun’s dream severed. The boy still slept soundly, and Kai could tell he didn’t want to be awoken from his slumber. Between the illusions inside his head and the worries he’s living with, Kai would rather stay asleep too if he were in Yeonjun’s place.

Beomgyu queried, _“It wasn’t anything scandalous was it?”_

Kai scoffed, “No, Beomgyu. It’s none of that sort. If it were, I would’ve taken off running.”

_“Then, what did you see?”_

“He’s dreaming of making bird stew, special and limited Beomgyu edition.”

 _“What?!”_ The bird screeched, causing the other birds to fly away in hurry and fright.

“Well what can I say?” Kai sat up from his crouched position, running his hands through his hair and turning to face the emerging moon. “A person’s dreams are their unfiltered desires.”

_“Wait, you just said Yeonjun wanted to cook me!”_

“Sorry,” Kai muttered, hands on his waist, still staring pensively at the moon, “I relapsed. I was kidding—he wasn’t dreaming of that…”

“He’s dreaming of Soobin.”

 _“Well, duh! Obviously, tell me something I don’t already know,”_ the parrot flew past the grass blades and sat on Kai’s shoulder, staring at the moon as well. What was Kai seeing in the moon, was he just doing this for a dramatic effect?

“Soobin’s already the king in Yeonjun’s dream.”

Yeonjun must be feeling quite desolate for his subconscious to make that up. He’s accepted it?

 _“That means the prince is already married in the dream! Why didn’t you wake him up? That’s a nightmare--”_ Beomgyu had a rough estimate of the chance that Yeonjun has already resigned himself to his and Soobin’s fate. What made it sadder was that Yeonjun had apparently dreamt of Soobin with a queen… _Soobin’s happiness was his wish?_

“Because Yeonjun’s there too, in a way… right next to Soobin.”

Beomgyu let out a breath. Yeonjun hasn’t changed… Beomgyu was aware of that lot. The bird peered back at where Yeonjun was, and he could see Yeonjun’s lips tugging up into a faint smile every so often.

 _“He really is the knight who wants to become queen,”_ Beomgyu said to himself, Kai laughs with him.

. . .

Meanwhile, Yeonjun was still wrapped up in his dream.

_Soobin was sat upon a throne, a King’s golden crown on his head. But Soobin didn’t look burdened, sure the golden crown itself was heavy, but it didn’t faze Soobin as the blue gems that adorned the crown glistened._

_Soobin was blue, but not the sad type. Rather, it was the blue that brought out the warm sun, the blue behind a rainbow, the blue of the sea where corals nestled on its seabed. The gems smiled at Yeonjun, just as Soobin smiled at him._

_Soobin stood up from his elegant throne, the room empty. This was familiar, even when there were crowds surrounding them, Yeonjun always felt like no other beings existed—except for Soobin._

_Soobin spoke as he caged Yeonjun in his arms, the latter giggling and putting his arms around the other’s neck. “You were right about what you said.”_

_“Hm?” Yeonjun wasn’t paying attention to what Soobin was saying. He continued to stare at Soobin, but something was off. Something was hazy, everything felt too good to be true. Soobin seemed like he was blurred at the edges. But that wasn’t important, as long as he knew it was Soobin, then it is._

_“About the King and the knight. That they would grow fonder each other… with time.”_

_“You still remember that?”_

_Soobin’s answer was hushed, “Of course.”_

_Soobin pulled Yeonjun closer. Yeonjun prepared himself and closed his eyes—this was it—his first kiss with Soobin. He could feel Soobin’s soft breaths, and Yeonjun—being the ever impatient boy, shot his face forward, pulling Soobin by his nape with the intention of catching Soobin’s lips—_

“Ew! Ew! Ew!”

Yeonjun’s eyes opened with force, his reddened eyes still stinging. His surroundings were dark, but he made out the familiar figure of his parrot friend briskly flapping his wings around, looking like a ping-pong ball being bounced around.

“Beom…” Yeonjun croaked out. Yeonjun saw someone in front of him, a tall… merchant kid? Beomgyu circled on him while spewing curse words and saying, _“Kai please give me a new beak! This is disgusting! He freaking kissed me! With tongue, Kai I want to vomit! My beak is fucking wet--”_

The person… _Kai,_ grabbed Beomgyu by one of his feet as the bird continued to thrash around, “Don’t worry we’ll get rid of that beak of yours soon.”

“ _What? No! I was kidding I just--_ ”

Kai let go of the parrot’s feet and approached a very perplexed and bewildered Yeonjun. Damn that dream was so vivid, he even confused the dream as reality.

When he came back to his senses, his face contorted into a face of disgust as well.

“For fuck’s--” He exclaimed, taking out his handkerchief to wipe, rather, scrape any birdbeak residue from his lips. “You could’ve waken me up Beom, gosh I can’t believe my first kiss is with a godforsaken bird, how _unlucky_ am I!?”

_“Well just how do you expect me to wake you up while you were dreaming of the prince? Besides you were cute being pouty and all—I didn’t expect you to actually French kiss me you dumbass!”_

“Okay, that’s enough,” the merchant kid said, holding up his fist. Yeonjun attempted to shoot another curse at Beomgyu, only to find his voice gone. Once the merchant lowered his fist, Yeonjun was back to talking.

“What in the name of sorcery--”

“I’m Kai, I’m sure Beomgyu has told you about me by now.” 

“Kai…” Yeonjun muttered, giving the merchant kid a once over. Tall, lanky, boy who looked like _nothing_ Beomgyu had described to him. Kai was clad in mostly brown, a white longsleeve covering his arms. He grew his brown hair long enough for it to hide his ears, and his face was youthful, a glint of playfulness in his eyes.

“And I’m here to help you,” Kai said gently, seeing as Yeonjun was still shaken up from earlier.

“Why…”

“Long story short,” Kai began to explain, “I was happily playing the piano up there, that is, until I felt you. I thought you were having a stroke or something—turns out, you were only choking on your own tears.”

“Oh,” Yeonjun’s embarrassment got the better of him as he looked away from the merchant—fairy, and focused on his quivering fingers.

“I’m going to ask you this once, Yeonjun. What do you want?”

“To…” he paused, gathering his thoughts, “To see Soobin… before he gets married.”

Kai shook his head, that wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. “What do you need?”

“Closure,” Yeonjun mumbled, feeling as though he were a little kid enveloped around his father’s arms while telling her his Christmas wish.

As expected, that would be his answer. Kai gulped, willing himself to stop feeling sorry for Yeonjun. What Yeonjun wanted was as clear as day, but Yeonjun seemed so keen on negating himself. What did Yeonjun think he was doing? Committing a hero’s sacrifice?

 _“Kai,”_ Beomgyu was quick to take the fairy’s attention, _“Don’t listen to him, he’d regret it in the morning! You know what he really wants, you saw his dream!”_

“You saw my dream?” Yeonjun stood from where he was seated, staring on eye-level with Kai. He didn’t know why he stood, or why his anger was rose, but it did.

“It doesn’t mean anything, okay!?” Suddenly, he was defending himself. “And what gives you the right to meddle with my dreams?! Because you’re a fairy? Does that make you all-knowing and powerful--”

“No, Yeonjun,” Kai blinked up at him, “I’m sorry if my intentions came across that way.”

Yeonjun opened his mouth to speak, but Beomgyu beat him to it, “ _Yeonjun-ah,_ ” Beomgyu said in an attempt to calm his friend, _“You don’t have to hide anything with us… I think Kai here is willing to grant your wish--”_

Yeonjun snapped like an old woman on meds, “Sure as if he would help me! You’ve said it yourself, he almost never answers so why the fuck is _he_ here?”

Both Kai and Beomgyu stared dumbfounded. In the back of Kai’s head, he wondered why the hell his Mother had assigned him to Choi Yeonjun; and then he realized that maybe it was to lengthen Kai’s patience with things. After all, Yeonjun _was_ kind of acting up like The Fairy Godmother, getting cranky over trivial things—though he couldn’t tell if the matter of Prince Soobin is the least bit trivial.

“You know what, I’m probably still dreaming, I need to wake up, quick Kai hit me with lightning or something,” He said, closing his eyes and bracing for impact.

_“Yeonjun, ever the drama queen.”_

“In all seriousness,” Kai said, urging Yeonjun to open his eyes once more, huffing in defeat, “I can and will help you.”

“Why do you even care?”

“Because it’s my job--”

_“Yes, and I can trust you because you were there when my father died, you have enough power to spare him, yet you didn’t.”_

“Yeonjun, I’m a fairy, I can only change certain events, not fate and death themselves.”

The stars materialized in the dark sky, almost as if it were winking at Yeonjun.

Kai resumed his speaking; now only a few paces away from the most distressed being he’s ever encountered. “And as far as I am concerned, you aren’t due to die because of this heartbreak of yours.”

The more Kai stayed in close proximity to Yeonjun, the sharper his senses became. Yeonjun’s heart beat erratically, it was way past the beating of a healthy person, his mind raced with a million thoughts and emotions, all mixing up together—Kai was having a difficult time identifying which was which. Both his mind and heart were obviously so troubled, and yet Yeonjun did not want to acknowledge it. If he continued this, he _might_ just have a stroke.

“Carrying on, like I said…,” Kai started for the millionth time, he hoped he wouldn’t get cut off again, “You want to see Soobin and get your happily ever after,” Kai said with finality. After all he _was_ sure of what he saw in Yeonjun’s head, mind reading was the most accurate way of verifying a wish.

“No,” Yeonjun was quick to respond, “I… I just want to see him… and to talk. Like I said earlier. Closure. Just for my sake. Nothing more, nothing less. I want to talk to him—it’s probably best for him to forget me right after.”

Kai grinned—it was really forced, but it was the most believable fake smile he could muster. “Okay.”

 _“What?”_ The bird screeched, _“can’t you see? He’s being a dense pile of shit! God’s sake, he wants Soobin to forget him after all the effort-- he’s just gonna end up crying after that! It would be a total waste!”_

Kai gave Beomgyu a glare that conveyed something along the lines of _‘Shut it’._

“If that’s what you want, then okay. I can’t grant a wish that one doesn’t want, it would be against the rules of everything. Doesn’t matter what we think, and what we _know,”_ he glanced towards Beomgyu, _“_ If Yeonjun deems what he wants as the best option, who are we to alter his wish or deny him of it?”

. . .

_The day Yeonjun’s father passed away, Yeonjun wanted nothing more than to see Soobin. His father was a good businessman of sorts, which made them one of the richest people in the kingdom. His father once told Yeonjun he’d be better off as someone like him—but no, Yeonjun’s mind was dead set on becoming a knight. Something about the chivalry of it all intrigued him._

_He was dressed in all black, intricate patterns sewn onto the material of his clothes; the huge house has been converted into a funeral home. That was also the last time Yeonjun had ever worn nice clothes, and it was on this unfortunate and gloomy event._

_Beomgyu was, as usual, perched on Yeonjun’s broad shoulder as he silently watched the boy cry his eyes out. Yeonjun was thinking of a way he could slip out from the funeral after a few minutes, and go to the palace. He was, after all, already always welcome._

_One time, he entered the palace in the dead of night, about 12 midnight. He still laughs at this memory. Yeonjun walked through the dark halls of the palace, making his jolly way to Soobin’s room. It was all just innocent chatting, Yeonjun loved how Soobin was so open and willing to pour his heart out when the night was dark, and his façade was down._

_Yeonjun remembered how the palace guards panicked and searched the entire castle for the said ‘intruder’ who has trespassed inside the royal walls. However, when they saw that it was only Yeonjun lounging in the prince’s quarters, they all groaned in annoyance and joked amongst themselves that they should’ve just slept, and it wasn’t like Yeonjun would do Soobin any harm. But that time… the king was also shaken awake from his slumber, and upon seeing Yeonjun, his expression changed._

_The king was never really fond of Yeonjun. Maybe the boy’s mind was only playing tricks on him, but he always felt like… there was this strange aura the king exuded whenever Yeonjun was so much as near Soobin._

_Anyway back to the funeral rights. Yeonjun eyed the door, the safest exit he could take without bringing too much attention to himself. His father would understand why he would want to leave the funeral, surely. But Yeonjun was beside his step-brother, Kang Taehyun, so he couldn’t exactly ‘escape’._

_After a while, Taehyun excused himself to go elsewhere, and Yeonjun seized the chance to get out. However, just as he neared the exit, right before he could step out—his stepmother gripped his wrist, sending him tripping back into the house._

_“And where do you think you’re going?” The grip on his wrist was relentless—Yeonjun had never seen this side of his stepmom. When his father was still alive and with them, she was sweet, caring, and motherly. Well, now that he thought of it… she’s only eve been like that to Taehyun. Yeonjun’s been the receiver of her hostility._

_“I.. I was just… going to the gard--” The stepmother pulled and dragged him into the attic in an instant. Everything was like a blur to Yeonjun, he didn’t expect the mistress to act up like this. He long, polished nails dug into Yeonjun’s skin as she threw him into the dusty attic for the first time._

_Yeonjun raced to the attic’s small window and looked down. Could he jump?_

_His desire to see Soobin clawed at him, as if it were a necessity to survive. The fall would hurt… the window was too high. Yeonjun’s knees buckled, and he collided with the floor. Pain from hitting a loose screw shot through his leg, but he could care less._

_In the distance, the blue palace of Cerulae stood proudly. Welcoming. As if it were beckoning him to come. Yeonjun could only stare at it, could only stare at the misty clouds that touched the highest points of the palace._

_He fell asleep on the dusty floor, Beomgyu sneezing and saying something along the lines of ‘Don’t they ever clean up—why would she dump you here of all places--’ but Beomgyu’s rambling faded as Yeonjun began to dream._

. . .

Yeonjun has always loved dreaming, because up in his head, he can see Soobin. Talk to him, touch him; and Soobin would reciprocate, letting out that giggle that Yeonjun loved so much.

And tonight, maybe Yeonjun truly was dreaming, living and thriving in it— _his_ fairytale.

Yeonjun scoffs, “So what, you need my consent?”

“Yes, basically. It’s a fairy’s rule of thumb. If you’d only reject what I could provide you, you wouldn’t be truly happy, would you?” Kai quirked an eyebrow. There was something behind Kai’s eyes Yeonjun couldn’t place.

But he decided to go with it, if this was a dream, he’d wake up soon, only if he went with the flow. Although he desperately tried to push aside the youthful, euphoric giddiness in his chest—that burst of hope—he kept it in. Like he always did.

“So, just to confirm, you want to let Prince Soobin know you’re alive and well… but you want him to… forget you and carry on with his life?” Beomgyu could hear the doubt in Kai’s voice.

 _“Idiot…”_ Beomgyu whined in defeat, Yeonjun could almost imagine him deflating.

“You can… do that?” Yeonjun stood grounded, forcing his smile down, forcing himself to believe that a proper goodbye was all he wanted.

“That’s all you want, if I’m not mistaken?”

_“Kai, you are a million times mistaken!”_

“Yes. Yes, take me to Soobin.” He wished there were zero hints desperation, but oh boy was he desperate.

Kai sighed, and in the next second, the tall, lanky, and clumsy-looking boy was replaced by a similar, but more sophisticated version of the boy. If Yeonjun looked closer, he could see the _glitters_ that littered Kai’s skin. Kai appeared like a walking magic wand-- the same being Beomgyu had seen up in Kai’s home in the clouds.

“All right then, I just need to zap you into a fancy tux and make you a carriage then--” Kai began, only to be interrupted by Yeonjun’s awkward coughing.

 _“Uhm… Kai,”_ Beomgyu spared Yeonjun from the embarrassment of saying it himself, _“We have a minor problem.”_

“I’m a fairy. Magic,” Kai waved his glittery hands in front of Beomgyu’s beak, “Nearly nothing’s impossible.”

“ _… The ball…_ ”

Kai nodded, urging Beomgyu to continue, what was the hold up? “What? Is the ball castrated or something?”

Yeonjun would’ve turned red at the joke, if he weren’t already used to jokes like those. Blame the bird.

 _“Theballisformaidensonly.”_ Beomgyu let out in one quick utterance.

“Huh? The ball is for Meaden Stanley? Who is this Meaden Stan—“

And this, is what happens when a human, a parrot, and a fairy converse under the veil of the night. They just continuously regress, if they don’t find a brain cell right this instant, one of them might begin baby talking.

“It’s for maidens only, he meant.” Yeonjun said, hiding his blush, hoping for the moon and stars to switch off to better hide his shame.

“Oh.”

“So… what do we do?” Kai asked.

 _“You’re the fairy here, Kai. Why are you asking us?”_ Beomgyu chirps exasperatedly.

“Because if I had total control over the situation, _which I do…_ ” Kai said, accentuating his every word, “I would just make Yeonjun here a woman for good. Solves all our problems in a click of a finger. Goodbye jolly-hotdog, hello spaghetti sauce.”

 _“Please never say that again,”_ Beomgyu said, raising his wings to cover his head where, Yeonjun guessed, his ears were.

“I mean…” Yeonjun said, exhaling and… maybe considering letting go of the last bits of his manliness. He could be queen if Kai were to do that, even _give Soobin a child._

_“No you’re not considering this, Yeonjun! Oh my--”_

“It would be an easy process, though I’d just have to remind you that women do have more mood swings… and back pains… and cramps at least once a month.”

_“Am I seriously the only one with a working brain here?”_

“Oh, and I forgot to mention the boo--” oh, right… he has to censor himself, “The watermelons.”

“Will it hurt?”

“The watermelons?” Kai asked, “Sometimes.”

 _“Soobin is gay, Yeonjun! G-A-Y! The S in Oobin stands for straight! Please listen to me. Are you planning on turning him straight after you bent him all those years ago?!”_ Gosh, he hated being a parrot. No one ever took him seriously.

Thankfully, Yeonjun came back to his senses. Had he really just considered that? He crossed his arms over his flat chest, realizing he’d rather have it _stay_ flat and _not_ grow… a pair of watermelons.

“Right, uhh, no. Let’s not… I’d like to keep my jolly hotdog where it is.”

Beomgyu breathed a sigh of relief, slumping himself down onto a rock as if it were his bed.

“There is another way we could get you in, though.” Kai says, looking at Yeonjun from head to toe. “You willing to wear a gown?”

“I’m sorry, _what?_ ”

“Yeonjun, you are unbelievable,” Kai sighed, this boy was infuriating, “A second ago you were so willing to turn into a lady and now you’re the one judging the hell out of my suggestion.”

Kai continued to reason, “Think about it. But the night isn’t getting any younger.” He sat himself down on the stone bench. Beomgyu coming down next to him. Yeonjun had his tongue in his cheek.

The fairy spoke again, “If you agree, then the spell wouldn’t last long, especially if your true wish is just to see Soobin and talk to him. He won’t recognize you. It’s easier that way, isn’t it?”

“He… won’t remember talking to me?”

“Oh, no. He’ll remember talking to a maiden, just… not the _real_ Yeonjun. His memory of you would fade as the clock strikes midnight, along with the other things that come with the spell. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“I…”

 _“So now you decide to change your mind?”_ Beomgyu quipped, if the bird had eyebrows, he’d be frowning intensely at Yeonjun.

“No—I… okay, let’s do this.”

Kai began to sing his song which consisted of mostly fairy gibberish.

_Salagadoola mechicka boola_

_Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo_

_Put them together and what have you got?_

_Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo_

And _that_ is how Yeonjun ended up in a blue ball gown, reaching up to his feet. His hair was now _blond,_ reaching up to his shoulders, but Kai kept it in a neat bun with a blue head band to keep the strands in place. His head felt heavy if you ask him.

But what felt heavier, was his chest. He’d love to say something poetic, like ‘ _my heavy heart yearns for Soobin_ ’ or something (where was the lie) but, it wasn’t heavy because of that.

He had damn corset that was tight enough to crush his ribs and possibly all the of his other vital organs.

And he… had fucking _watermelons._

“What the fu--”

Kai was first to explain himself, “It wouldn’t be believable if you were flat!”

 _“Kai, you’ve just unknowingly insulted half the population of women with that,”_ Beomgyu said, shaking his head in faux disappointment.

“Beomgyu… I am _so_ tempted to mute you,” Kai snarled at the bird.

As Beomgyu and Kai continued to ramble about who could kill the other first, Yeonjun tried to make sense of what had just taken place earlier, when swirls of white light circled around him and turned him into _this._

Holding out his hand into his view, his calloused fingers were replaced with dainty, slender ones covered by elbow-length gloves that matched the color of his gown. Had things changed? Before he could panic, he _thankfully_ felt something between his legs so _no,_ not everything turned girly.

He stepped forward, nearly tripping on the many, many layers of his gown. _How does Princess Arin manage to walk in these on a daily basis?_ But there was something different, his feet were quite squished and… he felt taller?

Lifting the dress, he pushed his feet out so he could get a good look at it despite the round, bulging petticoat and his underpants being too constricting.

He had glass slippers, _uncomfortable glass heels, actually._

“I…” Yeonjun managed to croak out. He didn’t know whether he should laugh, or be thankful, or how the hell does one react when turned into a temporary girl by a fairy?

“It’s really not as bad as you think,” Kai said, and with a snap of his fingers, a mirror materialized onto Yeonjun’s hand. He held it up to his face and nearly gawked in awe. If he weren’t gay, or if he weren’t _looking_ at _himself_ in the mirror, he would’ve taken the chance to talk, heck, even court the girl the mirror reflected back at him.

His face was a bit smaller, but his eyes were the same—still had the mono-lids he loved flaunting. His groomed eyebrows brought out his eyes, and _damn_ he still had that jawline. He had light make-up on, a few tints of blush that littered across his cheeks and, were those _glitters_ on his lipstick? Yeonjun didn’t mind, it really complemented the simple but dangling earrings that framed his face.

“ _I could’ve just told you that you look absolutely stunning,_ ” Beomgyu chirped, _“But I doubt you’d believe a lowly bird like me.”_

It was just another day of Beomgyu being dramatic. He and Yeonjun were stuck together all the time, it was inevitable for them to pick up on each other’s traits.

“Yeonjun? One last thing…,” Kai said, taking Yeonjun out of his trance. “You have to think of a name. You can’t just walk up to him and say you’re Yeonjun.”

The boy’s heart fell at that. He had to keep in mind that this was pretense. Soobin wouldn’t see the real Yeonjun. Yeonjun wanted to whine, a sigh of _but why can’t I?_ Until he silently answered his own question. _You want him to see and forget, remember?_

“Yeah,” he lowered the mirror, “I’d figure something out.”

“Which reminds me,” Kai said, gaze switching from the bird, to Yeonjun, to a lone pumpkin on the garden’s soil, “Where are the other crops?”

Yeonjun glanced over at the orange plant, “I don’t know. When father was alive this place used to be colorful--” Just as Yeonjun was about to get into misery-mode again, Kai interjected.

“It’s okay, this pumpkin right here is all we need,” he looked over at Beomgyu, “May I ask a favor, Beomgyu?”

“ _Aren’t favors the only thing you’ve been asking of me from the start?_ ”

“Is it possible for you to get Taehyun out here?”

“What?!” Yeonjun nearly screamed, he does not want anyone, _Taehyun in particular,_ to see him like this. But then again, Taehyun probably wouldn’t know it’s him.

“You’re like,” Kai trailed off, “Pissed at him right? I’d be doing you a favor, actually.”

“ _Okay what on Earth are you planning to do first?_ ”

“Nothing, I’ll just give him a taste of how it feels to be like you; maybe _then_ he’d stop plotting your death every hour.”

 _“You know about that?”_ really, it touched Beomgyu to know that the fairy wasn’t as uncaring as he seemed.

“I get bored often,” he glanced to Yeonjun and continued to talk once he saw that the boy— _girl—_ was busy admiring his-her face—gosh this is tiring, even for Kai. Well, he’d settle for his, considering he kept the hotdog where it was. “Your life with Taehyun, it’s better than most comedic plays they do around here.”

Beomgyu stared, not knowing whether he should take it as a compliment or let Kai’s words rub him the wrong way.

Beomgyu basically went back into the Kang household like he was on a suicide mission. As he entered through Taehyun’s window with the intention of maybe driving him crazy by scratching his claws on Taehyun’s mirror—he heard the fading voice of Yeonjun.

“Hey Kai? Don’t you think this shade of lipstick looks horrible on me, though?”

. . .

_“What do you mean Mr. Choi is gonna marry a new woman?!” Beomgyu had yelled in protest when the young Yeonjun broke the news to him. Mostly, Yeonjun just couldn’t stomach the fact that he would be sharing his home with two strangers—Ms. Kang and his son, Taehyun. Well, Mrs. Choi soon, he guessed. But from what it seemed, Ms. Kang seemed keen on keeping her and her son’s surnames._

_Which made sense, but not to his father._

_“They just want the money, don’t they?” Beomgyu continued to rant, flying around Yeonjun’s room, a little faster and he could cause a hurricane. ”How are you so calm about this, Yeonjun?”_

_“I’m not, Beom. I’ve been crying in the inside for about six hours.”_

_“But hey! Look at the bright side, new people in the house! At least maybe I’d be getting more attention, and you can sit back and relax without me. New friends, me likey!”_

_And more attention, he did get. Rather, he was the one who was giving the attention._

_Beomgyu grew scared of the mistress at first, but that fear soon turned into hatred. Sure, at the time, Yeonjun found her sweet and caring, but Beomgyu easily saw through her disguise and wanted to claw at her so she would bleed her true colors._

_But Taehyun, that boy was a different story._

_Although the boy showed his flat-out annoyance at the bird, Beomgyu was persistent to make the cold guy like him._

_Yes, there was a time Beomgyu was the warmest with Taehyun. The bird would even leave a few flower petals outside Taehyun’s door, which the boy would take and throw into the trash. It hurt, but again, Beomgyu was persistent._

_One time, he saw Taehyun at his lowest. And maybe, that was why Taehyun hated him. Because his eyes were the only ones that saw how vulnerable and broken Taehyun was. Apparently, his stepmother wanted Taehyun to change his ways. She didn’t like how Taehyun cried so often over the littlest things, she didn’t like how Taehyun would sit alone in the garden and make flower crowns. And she especially despised how Taehyun loved to sing._

_“Taehyun-ah?” Beomgyu slowly flew to the boy who had his knees up to his chest. The boy was in the garden, his comfort zone, fingers languidly threading through the petals nestled in the flowerbeds._

_Of course, his voice came as a mere chirp. But it was enough to make Taehyun look at him. On a normal day, Taehyun would push him and call him a little pest while spraying some kind of dirty water at him, but Taehyun didn’t move a muscle when he perched himself on the boy’s knees, awkwardly close to the boy’s face._

_The boy’s nose was puffy, tearstains on his cheeks. Why, oh why did all the boys Beomgyu was around all happen to be crybabies?_

_Taehyun gave a soft chuckle amidst his sadness, “Hey,” he said, taking his hands away from the flowers and instead giving a light pat to Beomgyu’s head. Beomgyu cooed inwardly at the contact._

_Taehyun’s smile grew wider, “How does one even pet a parrot?”_

_This. This was what Beomgyu had engraved in his head after so many years. This was the reason he had never went a day without mentioning Taehyun’s name to Yeonjun. Because he knows that the harsh Taehyun…, could also be this._

_Soft, sensitive, and dare he say it… cute._

_Beomgyu craned his head just enough to lean into Taehyun’s reluctant touch. Taehyun smiled and began to scratch his back, and this time Beomgyu did coo. His wings fluttered and this urged Taehyun to continue._

_“You like that?” he mused, it was also quite calming to run his fingers through the soft, green feathers. After a few seconds, Taehyun let his hand fall back to his side._

_“Mother scolded me today,” Taehyun said, mostly laughed, he was talking to a parrot. Had he really stooped this low? Yeonjun’s parrot, to be exact._

_Beomgyu cocked his head, giving Taehyun the notion that he was listening._

_“She threw away the flower crowns…, but I was quick enough to smuggle this back,” he said, raising his other wrist up… revealing a small bundle of flower petals, held together by a small string. The petals Beomgyu swore he saw Taehyun throw out into the trash._

_Almost as if Taehyun felt his confusion, the boy explained, “I felt bad for throwing these out. It was nice of you, actually. No one’s ever given me flowers, though I happen to love them so much. Mother thinks it’s such a womanly thing to like.”_

_Beomgyu’s eyes shot up to meet Taehyun’s. Doing his best to convey with his eyes what he desperately wanted to say, “No, it’s nice Taehyun-ah. Please don’t change, don’t listen to her.”_

_Taehyun raised an eyebrow, “Are you singing?” He asked, and Beomgyu wanted to curse Kai for the nth time for not letting Taehyun hear him even just this once._

_“Okay, let’s sing…” the boy said, his eyes back down at the soil, which was still damp from yesterday’s rain. “Mother would give me a beating if she hears me sing, though.”_

_Seriously, this was taking a toll on Beomgyu’s heart. He just wanted to be a boy like Taehyun so he can engulf him in a hug, so he can sing with him properly, and most especially—so he can take Taehyun far, far away from the bitch mistress._

_“A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep…” Taehyun looked around, voice still wary of his surroundings. But Beomgyu had heard enough to come to the conclusion that Taehyun’s voice was the best he heard._

_  
“In dreams you lose your heartaches, whatever you wish for, you keep…” Beomgyu recognized it as the song Yeonjun would sing (A song he’d heard his real mother sing to him as a lullaby). Maybe Taehyun had heard Yeonjun singing it a lot too._

_“Have faith in your dreams and someday…” Beomgyu sang with him._

_“Your rainbow will come smiling through,” Taehyun sang, Beomgyu noticed his voice getting unstable, shaky even._

_“No matter how your heart is grieving,” tears began to bead in his eyes. Beomgyu hated it. So much. He didn’t like seeing Taehyun, who was all snarky and borderline sassy with him—crying like this. Yeonjun, he could handle. But no, not Taehyun. Taehyun was always a different story._

_“If you keep on believing…”_

_“The dream that you wish will come true.”_

. . .

It was all good while it lasted, Taehyun being all soft on him. Now, they were back to the usual programming, and Taehyun chased Beomgyu around the house, holding a huge bird net and swinging it towards Beomgyu’s direction.

_“Catch me if you can Taehyun-ah!”_

It was like a cat and mouse chase, only, one was a bird and the other was a human, whose sleeping schedule had been disturbed by the one and only Beomgyu.

Taehyun chased after Beomgyu as the bird shot down the stairs, Taehyun tripped a couple of times, and he would notice how the bird would wait for him to get up before resuming the chase. What was this pest on about?

Eventually Beomgyu led him outside, where he was greeted by the sight of a _glowing, shining, glittering_ tall guy, and a pretty… girl. Like, very pretty. Was Taehyun dreaming? Why was there an overly dressed man and woman in their garden? Has the house been converted into some ballroom Taehyun was not aware of?

Before he could ask, though, a white light swirled around him, quite literally sweeping him off his feet. He was levitating, he was sure of it, but _what the fuck?_

He felt his bones mold into something else, and when the blinding white light dispersed into specks of dust into the dark night, he fell back onto the floor… on all fours.

On _all fours._

_What._

_The._

_Everloving._

_Fuck._

As Taehyun’s mind was finding it very, very difficult to register what had just happened, a girl’s voice came, “Beomgyu?”

“Beomgyu, is that you—Kai, what have you done?” The girl in a blue ball gown turned to the boy next to her.

“He looks nice, doesn’t he?” the boy, Kai, replied. And only now did Taehyun look towards the direction of Beomgyu—the parrot. But oh no, he _wasn’t_ a parrot anymore.

Instead, he was fine. Like, _fine. Finest. Human being. Taehyun. Had ever. Laid eyes on._ God, even his thoughts weren’t in tune anymore. Heck, he even looked princely, clad in formal clothes that brought out his pearly-white skin. He could _totally_ rival Prince Soobin’s looks— _Taehyun what the fuck._

“Mirror, I need a mirror now!” Beomgyu demanded, ambling towards the two, still not used to his new legs and something annoying between his thighs down there-- and _Oh My God._ Taehyun wanted to melt at his deep-as-the-Pacific-Ocean voice. Everyone, including Taehyun, seemed to give all their attention to Beomgyu.

The girl tossed the mirror to him, Beomgyu muttered a “Thanks, Yeonjun,” As he proceeded to admire himself. Taehyun was getting absolutely restless at being practically blind because it was so goddamned dark that he couldn’t see Beomgyu’s human face—the blue damn gown was sucking in all the light, wasn’t it— _wait._

_The girl. Yeonjun? The girl he is seeing, the pretty girl, in a gown, with red as roses lips—was Yeonjun? The I-wanted-to-be-a-knight-why-did-you-make-me-a-maid Yeonjun?_

Beomgyu, being the giddy boy he is, turned towards Taehyun, ready to flaunt his face, his voice, and tell him that they can chase each other without flying now—but what Beomgyu saw was _far_ from Taehyun.

Beomgyu began to laugh. Hard. So hard that he fell onto his knees, gripping Yeonjun’s gown to prevent himself from face-planting onto the muddy grass. “Oh my fucking god Taehyun is that you?!” He managed to force out while having a laughing fit.

First time Taehyun sees this attractive as fuck version of Beomgyu and this is his impression of him. Taehyun began to stomp towards them—only to stop.

He looked down to see that, yes, he was still on all fours. But his skin… was… fur? He almost couldn’t see his hands—well, legs? So, he guessed his once caramel colored skin was now black… fur. And there were… hooves. Oh god. He attempted to wag his, what he assumed was at least, tail. And there, he felt it, brushing past his hind legs. Long, silky tail.

 _“What the fuck?!”_ he said, but it came out more as a, “NeiGh vRrEeH eIgH!”

He was a horse. And as Taehyun continued to glare at everyone upon realizing what had been done to him, he noticed a carriage. _Oh so he was going to carry that? And Yeonjun? And what the hell, was Beomgyu going to ride him or something?_

Gosh, Taehyun, get your mind out of the gutter—or shall we say, haystack.

“It’s eight already, c’mon, we better do this quick,” Kai said, and with a flick of a wrist, Taehyun’s horse legs carried him towards the carriage. This was obviously some sort of sorcery, but when he felt Beomgyu ride him (well, duh he was a horse is there another word for that, or would it be better if he said Beomgyu mounted him?)

He was strapped to the carriage, where he guessed, Yeonjun-girl version was lounging in, probably being the most comfortable person ever.

Kai said a final word of “Goodluck” before Beomgyu began to ease Taehyun into a trot that gradually grew faster and faster, until they were speeding to the Palace of Cerulae.

Taehyun could only hope this bullshit wasn’t permanent. He still has plans of beating up Yeonjun once he reverts into a man and Taehyun is back in his old body too, maybe he’d even pluck out all Beomgyu’s feathers and make it into a necklace.

But somewhere deep in the recesses of the catacombs of Taehyun’s brain, he wished Beomgyu would stay the way he is.

. . .

_“Will you dance with me, Yeonjun?” Soobin asked, they were once again in the labyrinth. They loved it there._

_The young Yeonjun flushed red and sputtered, “W-what?”_

_“I… I actually don’t know how to dance. Will you be my first?”_

_He held out a hand, bowing, with the signature smirk Yeonjun itched to wipe off him._

_Yeonjun took Soobin’s hand in his. “My pleasure, Your Highness.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello~ tell me what you think, I really love feedback and appreciate them all, i appreciate all of my readers too, love u guys!! stay safe and hydrated, and may u all stay human. this is why we are against animal cruelty in this household
> 
> ALSO!! i decided to give midnight spell an additional chapter, since this turned out longer that i excpected so-- more crack for us :))

**Author's Note:**

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